The 1859 Carrington Event:

 

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The Carrington Event was the most powerful geomagnetic storm in recorded history, occurring in 1859 due to a massive solar flare and coronal mass ejection (CME) from the Sun, as documented by astronomers Richard Carrington and Richard Hodgson. This solar storm caused auroras to be visible globally, even as far south as the Caribbean and Hawaii. It also caused widespread disruptions to the telegraph system, with sparks, electric shocks to operators, and even fires in some telegraph offices.
 

What Happened in 1859?

• Observation:

  On September 1, 1859, astronomers Richard Carrington and Richard Hodgson independently observed a powerful solar flare and associated sunspots. 

• Sparks showered from telegraph machines. 

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What Does It Mean Today?

• Modern Technology Vulnerability:

  Today's society is far more reliant on electricity and electronic technology, making us far more vulnerable to a similar solar event. 

• Widespread power outages. 

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Key Takeaways:

• The Carrington Event is a historic example of the powerful and potentially destructive influence of the Sun on Earth. 

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• The Carrington Event: History's greatest solar storm - Space

  May 20, 2022 — The Carrington Event sparked a huge geomagnetic storm that wreaked havoc with technology. Earth fell silent as telegra...

  

  Space

History.com

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Arrival:

The resulting burst of solar material reached Earth rapidly, leading to the geomagnetic storm. 

Auroras:

The storm produced dazzling auroras that lit up the night sky across the globe, appearing much further from the poles than usual. 

Telegraph Disruption:

The most significant impact was on the telegraph systems, which were the primary technology of the time. 

Operators received electric shocks. 

Some telegraph offices caught fire. 

In some cases, telegraph messages could be sent and received without a power supply. 

Potential Consequences:

A modern Carrington-level event could cause: 

Communication breakdown, affecting mobile data and WiFi. 

Disruptions to GPS systems. 

Damage to telecommunication and satellite networks. 

It highlighted the first observed link between solar activity, Earth's magnetism, and auroral activity. 

Scientists continue to study the Sun and space weather to better understand and predict such extreme events and their potential impact on our technology-dependent world. 

A Perfect Solar Superstorm: The 1859 Carrington Event

In 1859 a massive solar flare spewed electrified gas and subatomic particles toward Earth, wreaking havoc on telegraph networks. C...

Five historically huge solar events

Apr 14, 2025 — 1. The Carrington Event on September 1, 1859. Illustration of sunspots by R.C. Carrington from Monthly Notices of the ...

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)