The Carrington Event and its Consequences

On September 2nd 1859, a large solar storm occurred that would change the course of astronomy as we know it. Auroras were visible in North America, telegraphs were unusable and shocked anyone who tried, and many people got up at almost 2:00 AM believing it was morning. This can all be explained by the findings of Richard Carrington a day prior, when he witnessed a solar flare, an event no other astronomer had ever seen.

Table of Contents

What Are Solar Flares?

What Was The Carrington Event?

How Did This Storm Affect Society?

How Would A Storm Like This Affect Us Today?

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