Researchers correct early account of solar storm impact
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Scientists recently determined that a reported delay of a train in Exeter, England, in 1841 was not caused by a solar storm, but actually occurred in 1848.
Researchers investigated an 1871 article in Nature that claimed magnetic interference from a solar storm delayed a 10:05 p.m. passenger train. They discovered the South Devon Railway Company did not begin operating trains on that line until 1846, revealing the original report misdated the event by seven years.
The team cross-referenced records of aurorae and railway timetables to establish the correct timeline. They found strong sunspot and aurora activity occurred around October 18, 1848, matching the date in the original Nature article. This correction means the earliest credible report of a solar storm disrupting human technology now belongs to an event affecting the Midland Railway near Derby, England, on March 19, 1847.
Establishing accurate dates for these disturbances helps space weather researchers better understand the history of solar cycles and their impact on technology.
