Categorized in class X1.8, this intense explosion has the potential to cause disruptions in radio signals, navigation systems and electrical grids around the world.
It also poses a risk to astronauts and spacecraft in orbit.
Solar flares are bursts of energy suddenly and intensely emitted from the Sun’s surface. It usually occurs around sunspots where magnetic fields are intense and unstable.
These powerful explosions can negatively impact technology and communications on Earth by emitting a wide range of electromagnetic radiation, from radio waves to X-rays and gamma rays.
Explosions are classified according to their intensity, with “Class X” denoting the most powerful explosions; Such explosions are powerful enough to cause disruptions in communications, GPS and power grids. Solar flares also pose a radiation risk to astronauts and spacecraft.
These events are part of the Sun’s natural activity cycle and are often accompanied by coronal mass ejections (CME). CMEs send charged particles into space, increasing the potential impacts to technologies on Earth.
