How does space weather affect Earth?

Space weather, the result of the sun's activity and other processes in the solar system, can have a significant impact on Earth's environment and technological systems. The most significant impact comes from solar storms, which are intense bursts of energy and particles that originate from the sun's surface. These storms can cause geomagnetic storms, which can affect power grids, pipelines, and other technological systems on Earth.

Space weather can also affect the ionosphere, a layer of charged particles in Earth's atmosphere that reflects radio waves back to the ground. Changes in the ionosphere can disrupt radio communications and global positioning systems (GPS).

Additionally, space weather can expose spacecraft and astronauts to harmful radiation, which can cause equipment failure and health problems.