Jenam 2011NASA: A gigantic solar flare has erupted on the surface of the Sun. Should we care?
NASA: Extreme volatility on the Sun’s surface is now a constant phenomenon with several Sun-generated solar flares we have observed in recent weeks. Now, on April 30, active sunspot AR2994, short for Active Region 2994, has triggered another gigantic solar flare. NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory has shared stunning video of the solar flare in different wavelengths of light. The massive solar flare would be of class X1.1.
What does it mean? Class X designates one of the most intense eruptions. And the number with the solar flare intensity symbol denotes its strength. Solar flares are classified into four classes – A, B, C, M and X, depending on their intensity. So, the most powerful solar flare would be an X rated solar flare while M denotes the second strongest solar flare.
About the Huge Solar Flare
Solar flares are powerful bursts of electromagnetic radiation from the Sun, which can last anywhere from minutes to hours. These sudden bursts of electromagnetic energy travel at tremendous speeds. And if transmitted on the Earth side, it can have a significant effect on Earth’s sunlit sides, NASA explained.
And this recent massive X1.1-class solar flare began at 9:37 a.m. EDT and reached peak intensity in 10 minutes, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said. The explosion erupted just before the first partial solar eclipse of 2022. For skywatchers in different parts of South America, the southern Pacific Ocean and Antarctica, the moon was expected to block part of the Sun. This is when the April 30 solar eclipse begins.
Will this solar flare hit Earth?
According to Spaceweather.com, which tracks solar flares, reported how this solar flare impacted the Earth and human activity. He said: “Even with the sunspot completely hidden behind the northwestern limb of the sun, the outburst still produced enough radiation for a strong shortwave radio outage over the central Atlantic Ocean and from much of Europe Tony Phillips mentioned on his website Spaceweather.com that the gigantic solar flare nearly triggered a coronal mass ejection, but because the solar flare came from a hidden sunspot from direct view of Earth, the chances of it impacting the planet are low.
