<P> The solar storm of 1859 (also known as the Carrington Event) was a powerful geomagnetic solar storm during solar cycle 10 (1855--1867). A solar coronal mass ejection (CME) hit Earth's magnetosphere and induced one of the largest geomagnetic storms on record, September 1--2, 1859 . The associated "white light flare" in the solar photosphere was observed and recorded by British astronomers Richard C. Carrington (1826--1875) and Richard Hodgson (1804--1872). </P> <P> A solar storm of this magnitude occurring today would cause widespread disruptions and damage to a modern and technology - dependent society . The solar storm of 2012 was of similar magnitude, but it passed Earth's orbit without striking the planet . </P> <P> From August 28 to September 2, 1859, many sunspots appeared on the Sun . On August 29, southern auroras were observed as far north as Queensland, Australia . Just before noon on September 1, the English amateur astronomers Richard Carrington and Richard Hodgson independently made the first observations of a solar flare . Carrington and Hodgson compiled independent reports, which were published side - by - side in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, and exhibited their drawings of the event at the November 1859 meeting of the Royal Astronomical Society . </P>

Has a solar flare ever knocked out power