NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory captured this image of the solar flare, which can be seen at the bottom right.
NASA/SDO
The sun gave off a strong side glow this week. That eruption It originates from a sunspot on the western edge of our local star, and represents the strongest solar flare seen since 2017.
NASA Agency The Solar Dynamics Observatory observed the explosion On Tuesday at 20:57 PT, causing radio blackouts for some shortwave, flight, and other communications centered in Asia.
Today’s X2.2 solar flare is the strongest solar flare in the current solar cycle to date. It peaked at 03:57 UTC and originates from the 2992 sunspot region orbiting around the western end. The eruption was somewhat impulsive and the resulting CME was not land-oriented. pic.twitter.com/Aq38bXuFnA
– SpaceWeatherLive (_SpaceWeather_) 20 April 2022
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The light is rated X2.2. A class X flare is the strongest class measured by scientists, and a higher number after X indicates an increase in explosive power. NASA has recorded several X1 flares in the past year, but these are the most powerful seen since the sun launched a pair of monster X class flares, including the X9, in the second week of September 2017.
The strongest light ever observed was beyond X28 in 2003.
The final explosion was accompanied by a mass ejection of the corona, which is charged plasma that moves more slowly and can create beautiful auroras when they hit Earth’s magnetic field. But because volcanic eruptions occur on the side of the Sun from Earth’s perspective, the particles are not directed towards us and will not hit our planet.
On the other hand, the energy from the beam travels at the speed of light and spreads in all directions throughout the solar system, which is why it dims the radio at the same time so that the beam is visible.
The Big Bang is the latest indication that our solar cycle is currently heating up. Our star experiences regular periods of high sunspot activity and flares roughly every decade or so. We are building towards the upcoming peak of activity in the mid-2000s.
Our magnetosphere prevents radioactive explosions from endangering life on Earth, but poses a hazard to our satellites, communications systems, astronauts in space, and even the power grid on Earth.
Widespread blackouts have been caused by flares in recent decades, but this is the first time we are approaching peak solar activity with thousands of new satellites in orbit. earlier this year, SpaceX reports that the torch is basically fried A number of Starlink satellites.
