NASA's STEREO-A Captured First Carrington-Class Storm Data in 2012, Missing Earth by Days
Updated
Updated · spacedaily.com · Jun 21
NASA's STEREO-A Captured First Carrington-Class Storm Data in 2012, Missing Earth by Days
2 articles · Updated · spacedaily.com · Jun 21
Summary
July 23, 2012 put NASA’s STEREO-A directly inside a Carrington-class coronal mass ejection, yielding the first detailed in-situ measurements ever taken from within an extreme solar storm.
Nearly 3,000 kilometers per second, the blast was amplified by two CMEs in rapid succession, with the first clearing a low-density path that let the second strike STEREO-A at exceptional speed and magnetic intensity.
Models built from those measurements show a direct Earth hit could have damaged hundreds of high-voltage transformers across North America and Europe, with first-year losses estimated at $1 trillion to $2 trillion.
Earth avoided the storm because the active region had rotated off the Sun’s Earth-facing disk; had the eruption occurred earlier, analysts say it could have hit the planet head-on.
STEREO-A, launched in 2006 and still operating, remains the canonical reference for extreme space-weather risk, helping anchor estimates that a Carrington-class Earth strike has a 10% to 15% chance in any decade.
We know a catastrophic solar storm is inevitable. Is our critical infrastructure truly prepared for a direct hit?
Insurers just excluded solar storm damage. Who pays for the trillions in losses when the next Carrington Event hits?
Solar Cycle 25 and the 2012 Near-Miss: How Extreme Solar Storms Threaten Modern Infrastructure
Overview
Earth is currently experiencing a period of heightened solar activity as the Sun approaches its solar maximum, which happens about every 11 years. This leads to more sunspots, solar flares, and coronal mass ejections, making modern technology vulnerable to disruptions. Solar Cycle 25 has already brought significant space weather events, including the major May 2024 storm—the strongest in over two decades—which caused the aurora to be seen as far south as Florida and impacted critical infrastructure. These events highlight the growing risks to our technology and the importance of preparing for future solar storms.