Tag: sunspots

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Solar storm alert! NASA says 3 sunspots could hurl out M-class solar flares

Solar storm alert: Sunspots, solar storms, solar flares, and geomagnetic storms…that was the story of space weather in 2023, and 2024 has kicked off in the same manner. On the last day of 2023, we saw the strongest solar flare emitted since 2017, and it sparked radio blackouts for nearly 4 days in the polar regions. Just a few days later, 4 sunspots with unstable beta-gamma' magnetic fields hurled out M-class solar flares. This is just an indication of the Sun's might and as we approach the solar maximum that will likely occur in 2024-25, its wrath is only expected to increase. NASA has now revealed that 3 sunspots could hurl out M-class solar flares, resulting in a solar storm. Check out the details of this solar storm alert below.Solar storm alertAccording to the National Oceanic Atm...
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Solar storm warning: Unstable sunspots could hurl out X-class solar flares today, NASA says

Even though we're just 4 days into 2024, we've seen already seen several strong solar flares hurled out towards Earth, sparking a solar storm. On December 31, the Sun hurled out an X-class solar flare that hit Earth just a few days ago, and it is still causing radio blackouts in the polar regions. The Sun has been showing all its might for the past couple of months and as we approach the solar maximum that will likely occur in 2024-25, its wrath is only expected to increase. NASA has revealed that the effects of this rising solar activity are now being seen again as multiple sunspots possess energy for solar flares that can spark a solar storm. Know all about this upcoming solar storm today.Solar storm todayAccording to the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), only 4 num...
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NASA says two sunspots could hurl out M-class solar flares towards Earth; Check details

Earth has been bombarded with solar activity in the last few months. In July, it was revealed that 2023 had already broken a 21-year record for the highest number of sunspots which were even more than initially predicted by scientists. But what does the rising number of sunspots mean? The number of sunspots on the Sun is directly related to the intensity of the solar peak. So, the higher the number of sunspots, the higher the chances of solar storms. Solar storms are caused by coronal mass ejections (CME) particles released whenever a solar eruption occurs. These eruptions, also known as solar flares, occur at the center of sunspots, which are the regions of unstable magnetic fields on the surface of the Sun. In a new development, the NASA Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) has tracked n...
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Sunspots threaten to release a solar storm today directed at Earth

A huge spike in the cases of solar activity has raised concerns among researchers. Sunspots have always been a central point of research for space scientists as they can have a significant effect on our planet. That is why space agencies like ESA and NASA keep an eye on the Sun and solar activity with the help of their advanced instruments.Recently, NASA has observed a huge cluster of sunspots facing towards Earth. As per the reports, this sunspot region has started releasing a stream of solar storms, which can enter Earth's atmosphere anytime soon. Check here to know what reports have beenrevealed. Dense sunspots region causing solar stormsAccording to a report by spaceweather.com, the bunch of sunspots spotted consists of about 12 sunspots which are approximately 125,000 miles wide, ...
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Sun birthing sunspots at furious pace! Cycle nearing explosive level

As the Sun is approaching the solar maximum, scientists are making new discoveries every day about it including its rising temperatures and its impact on the solar weather. We are well into the solar cycle 25 and the conditions are much worse than they were expected. Yes, the Sun's volatility has increased exponentially and what is going to happen next is looking quite unpredictable.Recently scientists have found that the sunspots are being birthed at a very high rate and it has actually reached its highest since September, 2002 when the count was 187. The count for June has reached 163.4 sunspots as per science.com. It is also speculated that the count will reach 200. "Highest monthly average sunspot number since September 2002!" solar physicist Keith Strong shared on Twitter on Sunda...
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NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day 17 May 2023: Dark Sunspots

Yesterday we saw NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day feature an image of the Sun's Corona which was captured during a total solar eclipse. It was a particularly special image as the Corona can only be seen during the solar eclipse when the Sun's when the main radiation from the Sun's surface is blocked by the Moon. NASA publishes the Astronomy Picture of the Day everyday, featuring pictures captured by astrophotographers around the world. Today's picture is another special image of the Sun.Today's NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day is a snapshot of Sunspots on the surface of the Sun in the active region AR 3297. According to NASA, Sunspots are dark areas on the solar surface which contain strong magnetic fields that are constantly shifting and can form and dissipate over periods of days o...
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Dangerous solar storm strikes Earth on Winter Solstice day! More set to hit today

A double hole on the Sun’s surface has sent a dangerous solar storm to Earth and that too on Winter Solstice day. More solar storm activity expected today, December 22. Just a couple of days ago, a shockwave caused by fast-moving solar winds caused a crack in the magnetosphere of the Earth, which resulted in unexpected solar storm activity. Now, there is a relentless attack, as another solar storm has struck our planet in the early hours today, December 22. A flurry of auroras could be seen in the arctic region. But these solar storms are much more dangerous than some light show in the sky. They cause GPS disruptions and shortwave radio blackouts. And now, forecasters have revealed that more solar storm activity can be seen later today. Incidentally, the solar storms have struck the ...
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Highest number of dangerous sunspots in 3 years facing Earth; Big solar storm coming?

Today, as many as 9 sunspots are facing Earth, the greatest number in the last 3 years. Is this a sign of a dangerous solar storm heading for our planet? Find out. Astrophysicists have been warning us about the approaching peak of the ongoing Solar Cycle 25 for months. And today, for the first time, we have received proof that the peak is indeed coming soon. Today, as many as nine different sunspots are on the Earth-facing disk of the Sun. This is the greatest number of sunspots scientists have seen since the beginning of the current solar cycle in December 2019. The increase in the number of sunspots indicates that solar maximum, the peak of the solar cycle which has been predicted to arrive in the first half of 2023, is now upon us. And this is bad news for us. Nine sunspots also m...
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Will Earth be safe from deadly solar storms? When will that happen?

In recent months, the Earth has been continuously facing the wrath of the Sun in the form of intense solar storm activity. But is it going to continue or will there be an end to it in the near future? Find out. Ever since the beginning of 2022, the Earth has been plagued by continuous and intense solar storms. According to data by SpaceWeatherLive, there have been more than 50 solar storms which were at least M2 class or above in just this year so far. These solar storms have disrupted GPS systems and caused navigation obstructions for planes, ships and shortwave radio operators. And that is not the worst they can do. Examples of the Carrington event in 1859 and the Halloween solar storm in 2003 show a glimpse of how destruc...
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Horrific solar filament explodes on our Sun; it is so big, Earth could disappear in it

Giant solar filament big enough to swallow earth has erupted on the Sun's surface near sunspot AR3089. The Sun is getting fiery as it reaches near the peak of its 11-year solar cycle resulting in a huge number of solar flares and solar filaments exploding on its surface. Recently, one such filament was seen on the sun's surface near sunspot AR3089. According to spaceweather.com, the magnetic filament became unstable with its debris forming a "canyon of fire." And the walls of the canyon expand nearly 20,000 kilometres in height. As per the reports the hole is so big Earth would disappear in it. Astronomers are now expecting a Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) to erupt from the sunspot.Coronal mass ejections, or CME, are large clou...