During the solstices, when Earth's poles are pointed towards, the Sun, our planet experiences the least geomagnetic storms. In contrast, data collected between 1932 and 2014 shows geomagnetic storms are twice as likely around the times of the equinoxes, according to Space.com.

During an equinox, places around the globe experience nearly equal amounts of daytime and nighttime. The second occurrence this year happens on Sunday.

The Earth is prone to more geomagnetic storms during the spring and fall equinoxes than throughout the solstices.

A coronal mass ejection — when plasma and magnetic particles burst forth from the sun’s surface — occurred on Sunday, the same day as the official start of fall, Space.com reported. It reportedly occurred when a sunspot called AR3835 unexpectedly spouted an M-class solar flare — something scientists hadn’t predicted,