A serious solar flare erupted from the sun Saturday (Feb. 11), spawning a radio blackout for components of Earth and setting the stage for extra flares to return.
The large solar flare, which registered as a robust X1.1-class occasion on the dimensions used for such sun storms, peaked at 10:48 a.m. EST (1548 GMT) on Saturday, in line with the U.S. Area Climate Prediction Heart (SWPC) operated by NOAA. It originated from an space of the sun referred to as Energetic Area 3217 and created a brief radio blackout over South America, the middle reported. NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory captured gorgeous video of the solar flare.
“Extra flares are anticipated from this area because it strikes throughout the sun creating occasional degradation of excessive frequency (3-30 MHz) communication,” SWPC officials wrote (opens in new tab)in an alert.
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Photo voltaic flares are huge eruptions of charged particles on the sun and are available in quite a lot of intensities, with the smaller A-class and C-class flares denoting comparatively minor occasions whereas the stronger M-class flares can result in amplify the auroras we see on Earth. X-class are the strongest sort of solar flares. The strongest X-class flare ever recorded occurred in 2003 and registered as an X28 flare earlier than it overwhelmed the space weather sensors measuring it.
Intense solar flares may also eject out big quantities of solar materials in what scientists name a coronal mass ejection (CME), which may fling out huge clouds of solar plasma away from the sun at speeds of as much as 1 million mph. When aimed straight at Earth, the strongest solar flares and CMEs can intervene with communications programs, energy stations and even endanger astronauts and satellites in space.
According to Spaceweather.com (opens in new tab), which tracks space climate occasions, there was no CME related to Saturday’s X1.1 solar flare. There was, the location added, a CME noticed from a distinct occasion — an eruption of a solar filament from the sun’s northern hemisphere.
That eruption flung a CME in the direction of Earth that ought to attain Earth on Feb. 14 and will result in extra intense auroras, the location reported.
“Arctic sky watchers might get a lightweight present for Valentine’s Day,” Spaceweather.com wrote (opens in new tab).
E-mail Tariq Malik at tmalik@space.com or observe him @tariqjmalik. Observe us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Instagram.