A giant coronal hole has formed on the Sun: the whole Earth will feel its impact

A giant coronal hole almost 800,000 kilometers wide has opened in the Sun's atmosphere. The whole Earth will feel its impact because the fast solar wind is directed towards our planet.

The solar wind bursting out of this coronal hole, whose diameter is 62 times the diameter of the Earth, moves at a speed of more than 500 kilometers per second. According to Spaceweather.com, this stream is expected to reach our planet by January 31, where it could trigger a small geomagnetic storm, Space.com writes.

Coronal holes are areas where the Sun's magnetic fields have opened up, allowing the solar wind to escape freely into space. These areas appear darker in ultraviolet images because the hot, glowing gases normally trapped by magnetic fields are no longer contained, instead escaping into space, Spaceweather.com explains.

Scientists assure that the geomagnetic storm that will hit the Earth on January 31 will not be strong. However, it can create bright northern and southern lights at higher latitudes.

The aurora occurs when the solar wind interacts with the Earth's magnetic field, experts explain. Charged particles of the Sun collide with gases in the upper atmosphere, such as oxygen and nitrogen, transferring energy to them. This energy is released as light, forming colorful images in the night sky.

It is interesting that the stronger the solar wind, the more dynamic and widespread the aurorae can become, scientists emphasize.

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