"Earth braces for impact as 'cannibal' coronal mass ejection approaches"

A "cannibal" coronal mass ejection (CME) formed by two successive solar flares, including a surprise "dark eruption," is heading towards Earth and could cause a significant geomagnetic storm on July 18. CMEs are large clouds of magnetized plasma and solar radiation that can trigger disturbances in Earth's magnetic field, resulting in radio blackouts and vibrant aurora displays. This rare cannibal CME is the result of two C-class solar flares aligning perfectly and traveling at specific speeds. As we approach the solar maximum, the number of sunspots and solar flares is increasing, indicating that the sun's explosive peak may arrive sooner and be more powerful than expected.