Huge sunspot will soon face Earth and spew flares towards us. Is that a danger?
The sun is once again extremely active. A massive sunspot is slowly turning towards Earth and is expected to spew out solar flares directly at us, leading to not just auroras but also radio blackouts. Named AR3901, the sunspot has already released some flares, with more expected in the coming days.
On Monday, the sun fired nine M-class solar flares, most of them originating from this active sunspot. Earth was not in the firing line of these flares, but when the spot turns towards the planet, things might go a little awry.
“Solar flare activity has remained at high levels with 10 M-Class, R1 (Minor) level flares over the period. Much of the activity has stemmed from Region 3901 (S07E63, Dai/beta-gamma) which remains difficult to analyse due to foreshortening near the east limb,” NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) said in a forecast discussion.
t added that the sunspot “was responsible for the largest flare of the period, an M3.7 at 18/1253 UTC” along with “a long duration M2.0 at 18/1915 UTC and ending at 18/1948 UTC.”
Solar activity warning
It predicted a 55 per cent chance of M-class flares and a 10 per cent chance of X-class flares for Tuesday. On November 20 and 21, the chances of solar flares being released become higher. SWPC says there is a 60 per cent chance of M-class and a 15 per cent chance of X-class flares for Wednesday.
An advisory noted radio blackouts will occur.
Solar flares occur when the sun’s atmosphere releases sudden and intense bursts of radiation. They are so intense that their ejection leads to the release of energy equivalent to millions of hydrogen bombs.
Solar flares cause radio blackouts, disrupt satellite communications, and interfere with GPS systems. How long the blackouts last depends on the intensity of the flare. There are five categories based on their X-ray intensity – A, B, C, M, and X. The X class are the most powerful, but also the rarest of them all.
