The CME is here! As predicted the CME from the June 4 filament eruption impacted Earth’s magnetosphere around 16:30 UT with a glancing blow and created a minor geomagnetic disturbance. The plot above shows the solar wind measured by the ACE spacecraft, showing the CME about 1 million miles before Earth. The data show the sudden changes in solar wind properties such as density and speed.
The animated gif shows a computer model of the CME traveling through the inner solar system. The CME should have also brushed the Spitzer spacecraft, passed by Messenger at Mercury (on June 6) and will reach Maven and Mars on June 9. High latitude aurora watchers look out as this event could produce enhanced aurora near the magnetic poles.
credit: NASA/ACE/SWRC