Strongest Solar Flare to Hit Earth: Satellites, Power Grids on Alert

Strongest Flare from Sun to Hit Earth: Satellites, Power Grids Brace for Impact

The Sun has unleashed its most powerful solar flare, which could disrupt satellites and power grids worldwide. This event is expected to coincide with an earlier Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) set to arrive between October 4 and 5, increasing the likelihood of geomagnetic storms and auroras this weekend.

Sunspot AR3842 has erupted again, producing the strongest solar flare of Solar Cycle 25, classified as an X9.1 event. This powerful blast was recorded by NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory.

The eruption was so intense that the radiation from the flare ionized Earth’s upper atmosphere, causing a significant shortwave radio blackout over Africa and parts of the South Atlantic. Ham radio operators experienced signal losses for up to 30 minutes.

A major point of interest is the Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) associated with this flare. Images from the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) coronagraph show a halo CME emerging from the blast site, expected to collide with Earth on October 6.

This CME is expected to coincide with an earlier one anticipated to arrive between October 4 and 5, heightening the chances of geomagnetic storms and auroras this weekend.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has issued a geomagnetic storm watch from October 3 to 5, predicting disturbances classified between G1 (minor) and G3 (strong). These storms can disrupt power grids, satellite operations, and navigation systems, while also enhancing auroral displays in regions typically unaffected by such phenomena.

This recent solar activity is part of an unusually active period for the sun, which has already produced 41 X-class flares in 2024, more than the last nine years combined.

Experts suggest we may have entered a solar maximum phase earlier than anticipated, with heightened activity likely to continue through 2025.

As solar activity intensifies, scientists have advised aurora enthusiasts to stay alert for possible displays across various regions this weekend, particularly in areas not usually known for such phenomena.

Aakhir Tak Editor-in-Chief

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