Quiz: Northern Lights Reading

Why were the Northern Lights visible in North Carolina?

• There was a severe geomagnetic storm

• Solar flares and coronal mass ejections caused the visibility

• The sun was nearing its peak activity in the solar cycle

• There was a lack of light pollution in rural areas

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS2-5

What time was the best chance to witness the Northern Lights in North Carolina?

• 2:00 a.m.

• 5:00 a.m.

• 9:30 p.m.

• 11:00 p.m.

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS4-3

What caused the rare visibility of the Northern Lights this far south?

• A series of solar flares and coronal mass ejections

• A severe geomagnetic storm

• The solar maximum in the sun's 11-year cycle

• Lack of light pollution in North Carolina

Tags

NGSS.HS-PS2-5

What potential impacts can geomagnetic storms have on Earth's infrastructure?

• Disruption of communications and navigation systems

• Power outages and damage to power grids

• Radio blackouts and disrupted flight patterns

• All of the above

Tags

NGSS.HS-ETS1-3

How many severe geomagnetic storms have been observed during the current solar cycle?

• None

• One

• Two

• Three

What was the most intense geomagnetic storm ever recorded?

• The Carrington Event of 1859

• The storm that knocked out the power grid in Quebec in 1989

• The G5 storm that occurred on October 23

• The storm that caused power outages in Sweden and damaged power transformers in South Africa

What potential damage could a Carrington Event-like storm cause today?

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS3-2

What could be the consequences of a massive solar flare hitting Earth?

• Trillions of dollars' worth of damage

• Power outages for a substantial amount of time

• Sparking and fire in telegraph stations

• All of the above

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS3-1