On September 1, 1859, the Earth was hit by the most powerful solar storm ever recorded, known as the ‘Carrington Event’ in tribute to astronomer Richard Carringtonwho observed the solar surge and for the first time related it to a geomagnetic storm.
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Although the technology to measure the intensity of geomagnetic storms did not exist at the time, it is estimated that the Carrington event was the most powerful ever recorded.
From northern lights so intense that they could be seen in countries to the south such as Cuba and Mexico, even strong electrical currents that interrupted telegraphs around the world.
What was the impact of the first geomagnetic storm on humanity?
This colossal explosion of energy released by the Sun caused a series of unprecedented geomagnetic phenomena that impacted our planet in unimaginable ways.
The Carrington Event had a significant impact on humanity, especially considering the technological context of the time. It caused a widespread breakdown of communications and exposed the vulnerability of electrical and telecommunications infrastructure to extreme solar phenomena.
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The collapse of the telegraphy network was one of the most immediate and notable effects. Telegraph lines fell all over the world, even burning in several places due to electrical overload.
This resulted in significant disruptions to long-distance communication, with cables operating without batteries. and they sent messages spontaneously due to overloaded atmospheric energy.
In addition to communications problems, the solar storm caused fires in some telegraph stations and injuries to operators. The intensity of the northern lights associated with the event also baffled populations.turning night into day and creating an unusual visual phenomenon in non-polar latitudes.
The human impact of the Carrington Event highlighted the fragility of technology in the face of extreme space phenomena. Although society at that time was not as dependent on electricity and technology as it is today, scientists believe that a similar storm today could have a devastating impact on modern infrastructure, causing widespread blackouts, damage to satellites and problems in communication networks.
Source: https://www.noticiascaracol.com/mundo/primera-tormenta-geomagnetica-dejo-resultados-devastadores-en-la-tierra-cuando-ocurrio-so35
