Incredible photos show sunspots ‘the size of 15 Earths’ unleash solar flares sparking radio blackouts around the world
A MASSIVE sunspot has been spotted blasting out solar flares which can affect Earth’s geomagnetic and frequency levels.
The recent activity made it grow into one of the largest active sunspots of this solar cycle, which lasts around 11 years and is said to be the size of 15 Earths.
The sunspot is named AR3664 and, being 15 times the size of Earth, is so large it can be seen with the naked eye from our planet, Live Science reported.
If you have a pair of solar eclipse glasses on hand, you can use them to get a glimpse of the sunspot.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Space Weather Prediction Center upgraded a geomagnetic solar storm watch from a moderate level 3 to a severe level 4 on Thursday.
“Watches at this level are very rare,” the NOAA said, Fox Weather reported.
“This is an unusual event.”
The NOAA estimated a severe solar storm cloud will reach Earth on May 10 and 11.
The geomagnetic storm can interrupt GPS and satellite communication, and cause radio blackouts.
Professor Peter Becker of George Mason University explained there is only a short amount of warning for when the solar storms will head to Earth after flares begin.
“We can tell when they’re actually going to head towards Earth,” Becker said, Fox Weather reported.
“And that gives us about 18 hours of warning, maybe 24 hours of warning, before those particles actually get to Earth and start messing with Earth’s magnetic field.”
Nasa describes a sunspot as “areas that appear dark on the surface of the Sun,” according to its website.
“They appear dark because they are cooler than other parts of the Sun’s surface.
“Solar flares are a sudden explosion of energy caused by tangling, crossing, or reorganizing of magnetic field lines near sunspots.”
RECORD SIZE SUNSPOT
The AR3664 sunspot is so large it compares in size to the Carrington sunspot from 1859, Space Weather reported.
The Carrington sunspot resulted in “geomagnetic storms set fire to telegraph offices and sparked auroras from Cuba to Hawaii,” Space Weather said.
There have been fears of an “internet apocalypse” if it repeats, the outlet added.
The CME waves emitted from AR3664 will not be as strong as Carrington and are not expected to cause excessive issues.
What is a solar flare?
- A solar flare is a sudden, intense burst of energy observed on the Sun’s surface.
- They are often accompanied by a release of magnetic energy, resulting in a brightening of a localized area on the Sun.
- Solar flares can emit various forms of electromagnetic radiation, including X-rays and ultraviolet light.
- They typically occur near sunspots, regions of intense magnetic activity on the Sun’s surface.
- Solar flares can have significant effects on Earth’s space environment, causing geomagnetic storms, disruptions to satellite communications, and potentially affecting power grids.
Credit: Nasa
However, there may be some special views of the Northern Light auroras from AR3664.
People in California, Oklahoma, Alabama, and Virginia could see the Northern Lights this weekend from the event.
This current solar cycle is expected to peak within the next several months or even the next few years, according to the NOAA.
There were also prominent solar flares that occurred on April 23.
Four solar flares caused a rare super explosion and it was caught on tape.