Carrington Event

The Carrington Event was a massive solar storm in 1859, caused by a powerful solar flare and coronal mass ejection from the Sun. When this charged solar material hit Earth’s magnetic field, it generated intense geomagnetic disturbances. Telegraph systems, then the height of modern communication technology, experienced widespread failures, with some operators receiving electric shocks. If a similar event occurred today, it could disrupt satellites, power grids, and navigation systems, potentially causing widespread technological failures. The Carrington Event remains the most powerful geomagnetic storm on record, highlighting the Sun’s capacity to significantly impact modern infrastructure.