Watch as the sun emits a massive X1 solar flare
On Thursday, the sun experienced an outburst, which could result in some spectacular aurora activity on Earth.
Right now, the sun is in a zesty mood. On Thursday, our friendly neighbourhood star produced a large solar flare, which was photographed by a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration satellite.
The University of Wisconsin-NOAA Madison’s Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies tweeted two pictures of the flare as seen in different wavelengths.
The flare was classified as an X1 by NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center. Solar flares are categorised similarly to earthquakes, with the most powerful flares designated as “X-class.” “A-class” flares are the tiniest flares. Flares with higher numbers are more intense. Though an X1 is still a strong flare, NASA measured an X28 in 2003.
Solar flares have the potential to affect Earth. “Harmful radiation from a flare cannot pass through Earth’s atmosphere to physically affect humans on the ground. However, when intense enough, they can disturb the atmosphere in the layer where GPS and communications signals travel,” NASA said in a statement on Thursday.
The flare as witnessed by NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory was released.
Tamitha Skov, a space weather physicist, is watching the flare and predicts that the associated solar storm will reach Earth on Halloween, Oct. 31. It could cause some spectacular auroras, like we saw earlier this month when a coronal mass ejection passed close by.
The sun has had a busy October, and its newest outburst could lend a festive twist to Halloween by allowing some parts of the world to see whirling, dancing auroral ghost lights in the sky. This weekend’s anticipated action will be monitored by the North Dakota Dual Aurora Camera project. It may be quite a sight to behold.