Free Astronomy Magazine January-February 2026

19 ASTRO PUBLISHING released one final CME before ro- tating out of view on the far side of the Sun. The most immediate and significant effect of the event was a major disruption of radio communi- cation in the regions facing the Sun. Following the solar flare, a severe radio blackout was recorded across Europe, Africa, and Asia, lasting approximately 30 minutes to one hour. A Ground Level Enhancement (GLE) was also observed, a rare phe- nomenon that occurs only once or twice per year. These events happen when solar particles are energetic enough to penetrate Earth’s magnetic shield, which normally protects us from less intense solar outbursts. High energy solar particles can harm as- tronauts, damage spacecraft and can produce a cascade of secondary particles in our atmosphere that could cause errors in electronic components if they reach the ground. This was only the 77 th GLE since records began in the 1940s. Despite this, the geomagnetic storm had minimal impact on critical in- frastructure. U nder the glow of a solar storm: this photo captures the Formen- tor Lighthouse, the highest in the Balearic Islands, on 12 November at 5:15 CET. That same week, Earth was struck by a severe geomagnetic storm triggered by three consecutive coro- nal mass ejections from the Sun. Pho- tographer Javi Moranta first noticed the phenomenon around 3:40, look- ing toward Barcelona. [Javi Moranta] JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2026 !