The sun is putting on quite a show.
On Monday, the sun unleashed a solar flare measuring X1.7. It soon followed up with another flare, this time X2.8.
But it wasn’t done. A few hours later an X3.2 erupted, blasting particles into space.
The flares have also hurled coronal mass ejections (CME) in to space. None of the flares or CMEs have been directed toward Earth. However, watchers in high latitudes should keep an eye out for the Northern Lights, or aurorae. Some of the particles will reach Earth. Once they do, they interact with our upper atmosphere, igniting gases which produce beautiful colours in the night sky.
The measurement of solar flares is measured by the amount of x-rays that are emitted. X flares are the strongest, which can disrupt satellites, cause radio blackouts and knock out power. A major solar flare in March 1989 knocked out power to Quebec for almost 12 hours.
The most powerful solar flare, called the Carrington Event, took place in 1859. It was witnessed visually by Richard Carrington. It disrupted telegraph systems and shocked telegraph operators, setting paper on fire.
On November 4, 2003, a major flare erupted from the surface of the sun. The initial reports was that it was an X28. NASA later said that it was closer to an X45. It was one of the final blows of a week-long eruption on the sun. Fortunately for us, it was not Earth-directed.
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