Figure 9-20 A Coronal Mass Ejection (a) An X-ray image of a coronal mass ejection from the Sun taken by SOHO. (b) Two to 4 days later, the highest-energy gases from the ejection reach 1 AU. If they come our way, most particles are deflected by Earth’s magnetic field (blue). However, as shown, some particles leak Earthward, causing aurorae, disrupting radio communications and electric power transmission, damaging satellites, and ejecting some of Earth’s atmosphere into interplanetary space.