Solar flares usually take place in active regions, which are areas on the Sun marked by the presence of strong magnetic fields.
Entering its new cycle, activities on the sun are picking up pace as the bright star emitted a major flare on Thursday. Sunspot AR2929 erupted, producing a powerful M5.5-class solar flare, which has been recorded by Nasa’s Solar Dynamics Observatory in an extreme ultraviolet flash.
According to spaceweather.com, during the flare, a pulse of X-rays ionized the top of Earth’s atmosphere, causing a shortwave radio blackout around the Indian Ocean. “Aviators, mariners, and ham radio operators in the area may have noticed unusual propagation effects at frequencies below 30 MHz,” it said.
the Sun marked by the presence of strong magnetic fields, typically associated with sunspot groups. As these magnetic fields evolve, they can reach a point of instability and release energy in a variety of forms.
WHAT IS A SOLAR FLARE?
A solar flare is a sudden, rapid, and intense explosion on the surface of the Sun that happens when massive amounts of energy stored in magnetic fields are suddenly released. The explosion emits radiation across the length and breadth of the universe, hurtling them towards planets in the solar system. These radiations contain radio waves, x-rays and gamma rays.
