Between 7th to 9th May sunspot region 3664 blasted multiple X class solar flares towards earth.
Initial radio blackouts occurred across the earth within minutes of these eruptions but it was the CME's that would make this storm a goliath and the most powerful solar storm in the last 2 decades. Plasma and Magnetic field from the blasts began to merge as they arrived at earth on 11th May NZT as a G4 geomagnetic storm.
This resulted in the Aurora Australis (Southern Lights) being visible in Auckland just before sunrise.
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The storm within 6 hours started fluctuating to the extreme G5 level and continued into the evening NZT.
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The storm peaked just after sunset across the upper North Island the auroras were stunning and at a visual level not seen this century.
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Globally the geomagnetic storm disrupted global communication, satellites, and power grids. The sunspot region AR3664 grew to a size that rivalled the great Carrington sunspot of 1859 in size and visual appearance, being 15 times wider than Earth at one point.
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