A Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) is a significant release of plasma and magnetic field from the solar corona into space. These massive bursts can carry billions of tons of solar material and travel at speeds of up to 3 million miles per hour. When directed towards Earth, CMEs can interact with our planet's magnetic field, leading to beautiful auroras and potential disruptions in satellite communications.
CMEs are often associated with solar flares and sunspots, which are indicators of solar activity. Understanding CMEs is crucial for space weather forecasting, as they can pose risks to astronauts and technology on Earth, including power grids and GPS systems.