A coronal mass ejection (CME) is a large-scale eruptive solar phenomenon in which magnetized plasma from the Sun’s corona is expelled into interplanetary space, typically associated with magnetic reconnection in active regions or filament eruptions. CMEs involve the release of up to ~10¹⁶ g of plasma embedded in coherent magnetic flux rope structures and can attain speeds from a few hundred to over 2,000 km/s. Propagating through the heliosphere, they drive interplanetary shocks, restructure the solar wind and heliospheric magnetic field, and, upon interacting with planetary magnetospheres, can induce strong geomagnetic disturbances.
On April 8, 2024, people across the world witnessed a solar eclipse, a relatively rare event in which the moon occults (blocks out) light from the sun. To capture this event, volunteers at 143 observatories across the U.S. ...
Space Exploration
Mar 5, 2026
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What happens when a solar superstorm hits Mars? Thanks to the European Space Agency's Mars orbiters, we now know: glitching spacecraft and a supercharged upper atmosphere.
Astronomy
Mar 5, 2026
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New research by Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) and the National Science Foundation's National Center for Atmospheric Research (NSF-NCAR) has developed a new tool providing a first step toward the ability to forecast ...
Planetary Sciences
Feb 19, 2026
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Using data collected by NASA's Parker Solar Probe during its closest approach to the sun, a University of Arizona-led research team has measured the dynamics and ever-changing "shell" of hot gas from where the solar wind ...
Space Exploration
Jan 30, 2026
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When a solar storm strikes Earth, it can disrupt technology that's vital for our daily lives. Solar storms occur when magnetic fields and electrically charged particles collide with Earth's magnetic field. This type of event ...
Space Exploration
Jan 26, 2026
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41
At times, the sun ejects energetic material into space, which can have consequences for space-based and even ground-based electronic technology. Researchers aim to understand this phenomenon and find ways to forecast it, ...
Astronomy
Jan 13, 2026
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Scientists have captured an exceptionally rare, high-resolution view of an active region that produced two powerful X-class solar flares—an achievement rarely possible from Earth. Using the GREGOR solar telescope in Tenerife, ...
Astronomy
Nov 28, 2025
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A first ever detection of a coronal mass ejection from a small red dwarf could have big consequences for life on any nearby planets.
Astronomy
Nov 28, 2025
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59
A geomagnetic superstorm is an extreme space weather event that occurs when the sun releases massive amounts of energy and charged particles toward Earth. These storms are rare, occurring about once every 20–25 years. On ...
Planetary Sciences
Nov 20, 2025
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73
Astronomers using the European Space Agency's XMM-Newton space observatory and the LOFAR telescope have definitively spotted an explosive burst of material thrown out into space by another star—a burst powerful enough to ...
Astrobiology
Nov 12, 2025
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