A big sunspot went boom. We're not getting a direct hit from it, which is good, because a direct hit would have been bad. https://spaceweatherarchive.com/2019/03/21/earth-directed-solar-flare/ --- While the bulk of the cloud appears set to miss our planet, the flanks of the CME should deliver a glancing blow. Estimated time of arrival: Late on March 22nd or sometime on March 23rd. NOAA forecasters favor the March 23rd estimate. Either way, moderate (G2) geomagnetic storms are possible when the CME arrives. --- Interesting, how this happened near the bottom of the solar cycle. Luck of the draw.
Another luck of the draw: There was an event in 1972 that came between two manned flights to the moon. Had they been there, those walking on the moon would have gotten well over the radiation level that would have required a bone marrow transplant in order to hope for survival. https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/stereo/news/stereo_astronauts.html
