The Earth's yearly perihelion, or closest approach to the Sun, occurred on January 4, 2021.
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The Sun appears to have responded to the Earth's approach with a solar storm caused by a CME.
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The CME hit the Earth's magnetic field on January 4 and 5.
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The CME has the potential to cause significant damage to satellites, spacecraft, and electrical networks.
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Sunspot AR3180 is the likely source of the CME due to its unstable magnetic field.
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Space agencies, such as the Solar Dynamics Observatory and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, monitor solar weather phenomena.
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The NOAA's DSCOVR satellite, which started collecting data in 2016, is particularly useful in monitoring various parameters of the sun and its atmosphere.
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Solar storms can sometimes result in auroras, which can be spectacular to observe.
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The CME has the potential to cause an extremely strong geomagnetic storm.
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It is important to monitor and understand solar weather phenomena to mitigate potential damage.
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