On March 31, 2022, the sun produced a mid-level solar flare peaking at 2:35 p.m. EST. The incident was captured on film by NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory, which continuously monitors the sun. Solar flares are very intense energy bursts.
According to the reportssolar flares and eruptions can disrupt radio communications, power grids and navigation signals and endanger spacecraft and astronauts.
This flare belongs to the M-Class category. M-class flares are one-tenth of the X-class flares, which are the most powerful. The number tells you more about how strong it is. An M2 is twice as powerful as an M1, while an M3 is three times as powerful, and so on.
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This is because the Sun’s activity increases as it approaches solar maximum, as seen in the stunning February 15 eruption (also photographed by Solar Orbiter) and the solar storm that disrupted SpaceX’s Starlink satellites. Furthermore, on March 2, the sun unleashed a huge solar flare.
Sun, we need to talk about your flare.
The sun emitted a significant solar flare on March 30, peaking at 1:35 PM ET (17:35 UTC). our job @NASASun Solar Dynamics Observatory captured the action: pic.twitter.com/JmtB8PuBvM
— NASA (@NASA) March 30, 2022
NASA has modeled the CME launched by yesterday’s M3.9 solar flare and predicts a rapid blow on Tuesday, April 5. Geomagnetic storming isn’t likely once the cloud reaches Earth, but it could be something to keep an eye out for in case you’re a high-latitude skywatch. pic.twitter.com/L94uj3mJsw
— SpaceWeatherLive (@_SpaceWeather_) Apr 3, 2022
A huge X1.3-class solar flare flashed at the center of the sun on March 30, 2022.
This animated gif was created by NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory and shows a mixture of light of wavelengths 171 and 131 angstroms.
(Credit: NASA/GSFC/SDO) pic.twitter.com/vJ0KUKvqWo
— Universal Science (@universal_sci) Apr 1, 2022
The eruption was classified as M-class, the fourth most powerful of the five types of solar flares. According to NASA, a burst of this force could cause temporary radio jamming at the poles and small radiation storms that could threaten astronauts.
Cover Image: Pixabay