Stargazing Coronal mass ejection arriving during a solar eclipse

AI Thread Summary
A coronal mass ejection (CME) passing through the Moon's interior does not significantly alter its impact on Earth's magnetic field. The Moon lacks a substantial electromagnetic dynamo, meaning its weak magnetic field has little effect on charged particles from a CME. The discussion highlights that CMEs travel along magnetic field lines rather than a direct line of sight, requiring a magnetic connection to influence Earth. Additionally, the lunar shadow during a solar eclipse is minimal, covering less than 1% of Earth's surface area. Overall, the Moon's presence does not appreciably affect the dynamics of a CME impacting Earth.
Zodiakos
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Would a CME passing through the Moon's electrically conducting interior affect the Earth's magnetic field any differently than a CME that had not gone through the moon?
 
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Zodiakos said:
Would a CME passing through the Moon's electrically conducting interior...
The middle initial "M" in CME is short for "mass". Massive particles don't pass through the Moon, let alone get close to its small iron core.

The Moon essentially has no electromagnetic dynamo, so it's meager magnetic field isn't going to do much to the charged particles that pass close by the Moon.
 
Your picture is for a solar eclipse - so it is over simplifying the situation and exaggerating the size of the lunar shadow on Earth. If memory serves, the shadow is less than 1% of the surface area of the Earth.

In addition, CMEs travel along the magnetic field lines, not along line of sight (as a photon would). So the CME has to be what is called 'magnetically connected' to the Earth for it to affect us.

As DH explained, the Moon does not affect the CME appreciably at Earth.
 
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