Solar storm

Solar storm can refer to:

• Solar flare, a large explosion in the sun's atmosphere
• Coronal mass ejection (CME), a massive burst of solar wind, sometimes associated with solar flares
• Geomagnetic storm, the interaction of the Sun's outburst with Earth's magnetic field
• Solar storm of 1859
• March 1989 geomagnetic storm

Solar activity has a regular cycle, with peaks approximately every 11 years. Near these activity peaks, solar flares can cause some interruption of satellite communications, although engineers are learning how to build electronics that are protected against most solar storms. But there is no special risk associated with 2012. The next solar maximum will occur in the 2012-2014 time frame and is predicted to be an average solar cycle, no different than previous cycles throughout history. (NASA)

See also

• Solar cycle
• Solar cycle 24
• Sunspot, where most solar flares and coronal mass ejections originate