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What was the Carrington Event of 1859?

A huge solar storm after a flare, the first recognized space weather event.

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  1. The first total solar eclipse photo
  2. A comet striking Jupiter
  3. A huge solar storm after a flare ✔

Why: Richard Carrington saw a bright solar flare. Soon after, auroras appeared as far south as Hawaii and the Caribbean and telegraph systems were disrupted. It began our study of space weather.

Huh, didn't know that: Coronal holes, solar flares and CMEs cause most of the space weather we experience.

The dad joke
The Sun once sent the telegraph a very shocking message.
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References

Answer: A huge solar storm after a flare. Richard Carrington saw a bright solar flare. Soon after, auroras appeared as far south as Hawaii and the Caribbean and telegraph systems were disrupted. It began our study of space weather.

  1. Astronomy 2e, 15.4 Space Weather openstax.org/books/astronomy-2e/pages/15-4-space-weather
    space weather was first recognized (though not yet understood) in 1859, in what is now known as the Carrington Event .
    Checked 2026-10-10.

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