GOES-19 Captures Solar Flare and Mercury Transit on February 17

On February 17, the GOES-19 satellite captured a significant solar flare and the transit of Mercury. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reported that the satellite's Compact Coronagraph (CCOR-1) instrument recorded a coronal mass ejection (CME) originating from the sun's north side. The images, taken every 15 minutes, also show Mercury as it approaches the Sun. CMEs can potentially cause geomagnetic storms, affecting satellites, GPS, and power grids.