A Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) is a spectacular explosive event where the Sun hurls enormous bubbles of plasma and twisted magnetic field lines into space at speeds reaching 3,000 kilometers per second—fast enough to travel from Earth to the Moon in just four hours. These solar eruptions can carry over 10 billion tons of material, equivalent to the mass of Mount Everest, creating expanding clouds millions of kilometers wide.</p><p>First observed during the 1970s by early space-based solar observatories, CMEs occur most frequently during solar maximum, with up to five events daily. When Earth-directed CMEs arrive 1-3 days after launch, they can trigger intense geomagnetic storms that produce stunning auroras visible at unusually low latitudes, disrupt satellite communications, and potentially damage power grids.</p><p>The infamous 1859 Carrington Event, likely caused by a massive CME, created auroras visible as far south as the Caribbean and caused telegraph systems worldwide to fail spectacularly—some operators received electric shocks while others found their equipment continued working even after being disconnected from power sources. Today's technology-dependent civilization faces similar vulnerabilities, making CME prediction crucial for protecting astronauts, satellites, and electrical infrastructure. Modern space weather monitoring systems track these solar bullets, providing early warning for what scientists consider one of space's most dramatic phenomena.