NASA has reported that the biggest sunspot ever recorded in the previous 24 years is currently targeting Earth.
The sunspot has been shooting solar flares at Earth which could generate auroras and can cause blackouts within the planet.
The blackouts can be caused by the intense X-ray and ultraviolet radiation that can be generated by solar flares. The radiation can lead to ionization in the ionosphere of the Earth, strongly disrupting high-frequency radio signals that can lead to blackouts affecting technologies such as those used by air traffic operators.
The sunspot, which has been tagged as AR 12192, is actually a colder portion of the sun wherein flares and coronal mass ejections can originate. Regions such as this are normal during the solar cycle's activity peak, which is currently underway.
Since Oct. 19, AR 12192 has created four X-class flares, which is the classification for the most intense flares. The latest flare, which occurred on Oct. 24, 5:40 p.m. EDT, is classified as an X3.1-class flare.
An X2 flare is twice as intense as an X1 flare, and an X3 flare is three times as intense as an X1 flare.
The previous flare created by AR 12192 occurred on Oct. 22, 10:28 a.m. EDT, but that was classified as an X1.6-class flare that is much smaller compared to the latest one.
People observing the sun due to the partial solar eclipse, which occurred in the afternoon of Oct. 23, may have been able to also see the massive sunspot on the surface of the sun. The sunspot can be seen by the naked eye as long as the correct form of protection is used.
The sunspot is measured as 80,000 miles across, which makes it big enough to contain ten Earths when laid out end-to-end across the diameter of the sunspot.
The X-class flares have already produced interesting auroras and probably also several radio disruptions. However, the real problem is the possibility that huge CMEs could reach the Earth, which will result in widespread disruptions in communications through radio and satellite along with possible electricity generation malfunctions.
The fortunate thing about the nature of CMEs is that they move much slower than solar flares, which reach the Earth in just a few minutes as they move at the speed of light. If a massive CME is launched from the sunspot, observers will be able to provide the people with a warning of a few days prior to the CME hitting the planet.
