#CME COULD HIT #EARTH AND #COMET T-ATLAS: SOHO coronagraphs are obtaining some remarkable images today. One of the brightest comets in decades, Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS (C/2023 A3), is passing through the field of view while the sun emits a series of bright CMEs. The first CME in this movie appears to be on course to hit both Earth and the comet:

Hurled into space by a powerful X2-class solar flare on Oct. 7th, the CME could strike the comet later today or perhaps early on Oct. 9th, The impact could actually rip off the comet's tail. The same thing happened to Comet Enke in April 2007. A broken tail is something astronomers should look for when Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS emerges from the sun's glare later this week.

According to a NASA model, the CME will graze Earth late on Oct. 9th or early on Oct. 10th. The impact could cause a another geomagnetic storm with auroras at mid-latitudes in the USA and Europe. NOAA analysts are looking at this CME now and may soon issue a refined forecast

#X-ray #Solar #Flares
6-hr max: C5 1750 UT Oct08
24-hr: X2 1913 UT Oct07