Giant storms that take place in the Earth's magnetosphere are an astounding and beautiful aspect of nature known only to a relative handful of space scientists and yet which are capable of disrupting human technical systems ranging from communication satellites to electric power grids. The only manifestation of these storms visible to human beings is the aurora. As such magnetospheric storms have been known for centuries but only since the space age with direct in-situ observations have we begun to understand the workings of the magnetosphere. More recently our knowledge has progressed to the point where we can produce useful and reasonably accurate computer models of the magnetosphere. The Magnetosphere is produced by the flow of the solar wind past the Earth's magnetic field. Under quiet solar conditions the solar wind is steady and the magnetosphere undisturbed. At certain times, however, the Sun generates great outbursts called coronal mass ejections. These CMEs result in disturbances in the solar wind that create magnetospheric storms. This talk will discuss what takes place during a magnetospheric storm including harmful effects on human systems.

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