NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory has captured the most powerful solar flare in years, which led to a temporary disruption in radio communications on Earth.
The solar flare occurred on Thursday, emitting a burst of energy from the sun that caused two hours of radio interference in some parts of the United States and other sunlit regions worldwide. Scientists have identified this event as the biggest solar flare since 2017.
"This is likely one of the largest solar radio events ever recorded. Radio communication interference with aircraft were reported by multiple NWS (National Weather Service) Center Weather Service Units (CWSU) co-located at FAA facilities," the Space Weather Prediction Center said in an update.
"These impacts were felt from one end of the nation to the other. Additionally, SWPC (Space Weather Prediction Center) is analyzing a possible Earth-directed Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) associated with this flare," it added.
Solar Flare Causes Radio Disruptions
Pilots across affected areas reported disruptions in communication, prompting attention from the SWPC. The interference was notably experienced in various regions of the US.
Experts are closely monitoring the sunspot region responsible for the flare. They are investigating the potential occurrence of a coronal mass ejection - a release of plasma from the sun - directed towards Earth.
As reported by the center, the eruption originated from the far northwest section of the sun. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory documented the solar flare in extreme ultraviolet light, capturing the moment of the powerful surge of energy as a brilliant flash.
The imagery offers a stunning glimpse into the sun's dynamic and energetic behavior. In a statement, the SWPC classified the solar flare as an X2.8 flare, which is a powerful burst of energy. It reportedly originated from Region 3514, situated in the far northwest area of the sun.
This incident is reported as potentially one of the largest solar radio events ever recorded.
X-Class Solar Flares
According to NASA, the X-class denotes the most intense flares, while the number provides more information about the flare's strength. NASA emphasizes that while these solar flares are captivating celestial events, they carry potential implications for various aspects of life on Earth.
Radio communications, electric power grids, navigation signals, and even spacecraft and astronauts can be impacted by the powerful outbursts from the sun.
Meanwhile, the SWPC said on Friday that multiple CMEs from December 14 to 15 could likely cause G1-G2 (minor-moderate) geomagnetic storm conditions between December 16 and 17.
