Stellar Curious Facts

Solar flares are so incredible that they have their own classification. They are divided into classes: A, B, C, M, and X, with 'X' being the most intense. Imagine this: each letter represents a jump in energy ten times greater than the previous one. It's crazy!

That's right, Gaia! And speaking of class X, the most powerful one recorded with modern methods was in 2003. It was such a massive explosion, an X28 flare, that saturated the sensors and they went off scale. It was too powerful to measure!

I bet you didn't know that coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are launched from the Sun at astonishing speeds: from less than 250 km/s to almost 3,000 km/s. The fastest can reach Earth in just 15 or 18 hours, while the slowest take several days. They're cosmic fireballs!

When I grow up, I want to make satellites. They're so cool! Some have an incredible feature: they can automatically go into "safe mode" during a solar storm. It's as if they were hiding in a turtle shell to protect their instruments from radiation and the effects of space weather.

I think we don't appreciate enough the layers that protect us on Earth. For example, the magnetosphere acts as a giant shield that defends us from harmful solar and cosmic radiation. But there's a worrying detail: in the last 200 years, the Earth's magnetic field has weakened by 9% globally. We must take care of it!

While doing some homework, I found a fact that blew my mind: when there's a very powerful solar flare, the radiation it emits (such as X-rays and ultraviolet rays) travels at the speed of light. Therefore, the effects of the radiation reach Earth just 8 minutes after the explosion.

Communication is my passion, and so is radio, but did you know that magnetic storms can interfere with high-frequency radio communications and GPS navigation? They're so disruptive they remind me of myself; they should call me 'storm' from now on!

If you're ever left in the dark and don't know why, think of a geomagnetic storm. These storms can induce electrical currents that travel through transmission lines, transformers, and other components, causing voltage spikes, damage, and even blackouts. Space can turn off your light!

Don't just blame me! Space weather radiation could also be the culprit. It can damage spacecraft solar panels and cause interference in communications. So don't blame me completely!

If you're looking for something interesting to read, NASA has a great study called 'Spacecraft Charging.' It explains how charged particles, photons, and electrons interact with a spacecraft. Sometimes, these interactions cause charge buildup that can lead to electrical discharges or equipment failure.

Did you know that IDEAM in Colombia monitors "hot spots" using satellite images? They use sensors like MODIS and VIIRS to detect fires and land cover changes, connecting satellite data with national information to analyze these events. It's an incredible work!

I have a confession to make: my suit is inspired by the Parker Solar Probe. This probe is protected by a carbon heat shield that withstands the extreme temperatures of the solar corona. Thanks to this shield, its instruments are kept at a much lower temperature—perfect for staying cool in space!

The Parker Solar Probe holds an astonishing record: it's the spacecraft that has come closest to the Sun. On its last flyby, on December 24, 2024, it came within just 3.8 million miles (about 6.1 million kilometers) of our star. A historic achievement!

When you think of something big, do you think of sunspots? These are truly gigantic! They typically measure between 1,600 and 160,000 kilometers across. They are monsters on the surface of the Sun!

Did you think space is silent? You're wrong! When plasma waves interact with the solar wind, they create an incredible and magnificent cosmic melody that echoes in space. It's the true symphony of the universe.

Do you know what the birds told me on one of my trips? During geomagnetic storms, many flocks feel confused. They told me that on those nights their migration becomes more difficult and that up to 17% of them stop flying properly. This happens especially in fall, when they try to return to their roosting sites. The Earth's magnetic field, which is like their secret map, becomes disorganized... and of course, the poor birds become disoriented.

Space weather refers to the energetic eruptions from the Sun, such as radiation or the release of waves and charged particles into space. Did you know that their effects don't just float in the void? They reach Earth and attack our high-value technology, causing power grid failures, blackouts, and affecting satellites and communication systems.