Space
Auroras Excepted Due to Major Solar Flare
Brooke Miller
First Posted: Jul 13, 2012 08:12 AM EDT
There are chances of auroras to light up the sky on 14 July as we have had the second major solar flare erupted from the stars in less than a week. It was on Thursday that the second major solar flare erupted from the sun. Based on the data available it is believed that there is a coronal mass ejection associated with the X class eruption that is heading towards earth.
According to NASA and the Space Weather Prediction Center, which is operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the sun flare erupted from the region known as Active Region 1520 of the sun that is currently facing the earth, this is one of the most powerful type of flare the sun can have even when compared to X1.1 flare that erupted on July 6 from another giant sunspot known as AR1515. This coronal mass ejection is travelling towards the earth at over 850 miles per second.
Because of this eruption that occurred on the Thursday, there are several waves of charged particles that are approaching towards our planet thereby increasing the chances of northern light display on the Friday night and also causing a terrific radio blackout for some high frequency communication systems.
According to Dean Pesnell, project scientist for NASA's solar dynamic Observatory, "The sunspot AR1520 is considered to be a relatively modest sunspot. It promises more sun storms to come."
There were videos of X1.4 solar flare being captured by SDO spacecraft that is keeping a constant watch on the sun's weather cycle.
It is said that the flare is just halfway across the face of the sun currently. It will be visible from Earth for at least another week.
X-class solar flares are the strongest type of storms that occur on the sun. When aimed at Earth, the most powerful X-class flares can cause danger to satellites and astronauts in space, interfere with navigation and communications signals, and damage power system infrastructure.
This is the 6th solar flare of the year and also one of the strongest. The sun is currently in the midst of an active phase of its 11-year solar weather cycle. The current cycle, known as Solar Cycle 24, is expected to peak in 2013.
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First Posted: Jul 13, 2012 08:12 AM EDT
There are chances of auroras to light up the sky on 14 July as we have had the second major solar flare erupted from the stars in less than a week. It was on Thursday that the second major solar flare erupted from the sun. Based on the data available it is believed that there is a coronal mass ejection associated with the X class eruption that is heading towards earth.
According to NASA and the Space Weather Prediction Center, which is operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the sun flare erupted from the region known as Active Region 1520 of the sun that is currently facing the earth, this is one of the most powerful type of flare the sun can have even when compared to X1.1 flare that erupted on July 6 from another giant sunspot known as AR1515. This coronal mass ejection is travelling towards the earth at over 850 miles per second.
Because of this eruption that occurred on the Thursday, there are several waves of charged particles that are approaching towards our planet thereby increasing the chances of northern light display on the Friday night and also causing a terrific radio blackout for some high frequency communication systems.
According to Dean Pesnell, project scientist for NASA's solar dynamic Observatory, "The sunspot AR1520 is considered to be a relatively modest sunspot. It promises more sun storms to come."
There were videos of X1.4 solar flare being captured by SDO spacecraft that is keeping a constant watch on the sun's weather cycle.
It is said that the flare is just halfway across the face of the sun currently. It will be visible from Earth for at least another week.
X-class solar flares are the strongest type of storms that occur on the sun. When aimed at Earth, the most powerful X-class flares can cause danger to satellites and astronauts in space, interfere with navigation and communications signals, and damage power system infrastructure.
This is the 6th solar flare of the year and also one of the strongest. The sun is currently in the midst of an active phase of its 11-year solar weather cycle. The current cycle, known as Solar Cycle 24, is expected to peak in 2013.
See Now: NASA's Juno Spacecraft's Rendezvous With Jupiter's Mammoth Cyclone