Space watchers have discovered a massive sunspot that is three times the size of the Earth and are alarmed by the possibility that it will direct medium-class (M-class) solar flares at the Earth.
Sunspot AR3038 more than doubled in size between Sunday and Monday, growing to be many times wider than the diameter of the Earth and continuing to do so during the previous 48 hours, according to NASA heliophysicist C. Alex Young, writing at EarthSky.
As activity increases in the typical 11-year sunspot cycle, the sun has been emitting an unusually high number of M-class and X-class flares during the previous several months.
Sunspots are black-colored sections of the Sun’s surface that are colder than the surrounding regions. They produce intense blasts of radiation/solar flares. Sunspots are exceedingly cold because they form over areas with extraordinarily high magnetic fields.
Solar flares have been categorised by scientists based on their brightness in x-ray wavelengths.
X-class flares are massive occurrences that may cause radio blackouts across the planet as well as long-lasting radiation storms in the upper atmosphere.
M-class flares are medium in magnitude and typically create temporary radio blackouts in Earth’s polar regions. Minor radiation storms can occur after an M-class flare.
C-class flares are tiny and have limited visible effects on Earth.
Image Credits: ESA
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