On Wednesday, March 29, the Sun released the most powerful solar flare classified as an X1.2, with X-class being the most intense type of flare. Detected by NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory, this incredible event occurred in a sunspot region known as AR3256.
But what does this mean for us here on Earth? According to an Insider report, x-class flares can trigger planet-wide radio blackouts and long-lasting radiation storms, which affected parts of southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand.
Did you know that solar flares are classified on a logarithmic scale just like the Richter scale? That means a C-class storm is 10 times more powerful than a B-class storm and so on.
However, the X-class denotes the flare's strength, while the number that follows it signifies its strength at a finer scale, as each class is divided into nine subdivisions.
For example, X1 to X9. And to think, the X1.2 solar flare was not even the strongest the Sun could produce!
But wait, there’s more. Solar activity has been ramping up in recent weeks, and our planet was hit by a particularly powerful solar storm on March 24, catching many space weather forecasters off guard.
Could more be on the way? According to the US Space Weather Prediction Center, there is a 10% chance of a potential a having an R3 effect on radio communication systems on April 1, 2, and 3. This could mean a radio blackout for about an hour in the sunlit part of the world during that time.
For April 2 and 3, the centre predicts just a 1% chance of an R1 blackout. But remember, space weather can be unpredictable, and the NOAA has been wrong before. Nevertheless, these solar flares and storms can also have a positive impact by “supercharging” the brilliant auroras. So let's embrace the beauty and power of the cosmos!