Which solar events most often boost auroras?
Show answer & explanation
Answer: CMEs and fast solar wind
CMEs and fast solar wind ✓ — Correct! The two most important aurora drivers are coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and high-speed solar wind from coronal holes. CMEs can hurl huge clouds of plasma into space, while coronal holes can send out fast streams of solar wind. If either reaches Earth under the right conditions, they can strongly disturb Earth's magnetic field and boost auroral activity.
Sunspots alone — Wrong. Sunspots are a sign that the Sun's magnetic activity is strong, so they can be associated with eruptions—but a sunspot by itself is not what hits Earth. What matters more for auroras is whether the Sun actually launches fast solar wind or a CME toward us.
Solar eclipses — Wrong. A solar eclipse only changes how the Sun looks from Earth for a short time. It does not send extra charged particles into Earth's magnetic environment, so it is not an aurora trigger.
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