150 years ago today, amateur astronomer Richard Carrington witnessed a solar flare, the first time such a phenomenon had been observed. It triggered the largest solar storm in history, wiping out navigation and communications around the nineteenth century world. It also led to me writing The Sun Kings.

Join me on Twitter (@DrStuClark) for minute by minute updates of what was happening on that fateful day back in 1859, and the chance to Tweet me your questions. Search for the hashtag #solarstorm.