Solar Flare Warning as Earth in Crosshairs of Explosive New Sunspot
A new sunspot forming on the surface of the sun might be about to fling solar flares in our direction.
The sunspot, named 3856, is facing Earth and has developed a volatile type of magnetic field known as a "beta-gamma-delta" field, meaning that it has a greater chance of releasing powerful solar flares
According to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecasts, there is an 80 percent chance of the sunspot producing an M-class solar flare on October 17 and a 20 percent chance of an X-class flare.
On October 18, there is a 75 percent chance of M-class flares and a 15 percent chance of X-class flares.
"Solar activity is expected to be moderate to high due to occasional M-class flares (R1-R2, Minor-Moderate) on 17-18 Oct, dropping to likely on 19 Oct. There is a slight chance for X-class flares (R3, Strong) through 18 Oct," NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center said in a three-day forecast.
According to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecasts, there is an 80 percent chance of the sunspot producing an M-class solar flare on October 17 and a 20 percent chance of an X-class flare.
On October 18, there is a 75 percent chance of M-class flares and a 15 percent chance of X-class flares.
"Solar activity is expected to be moderate to high due to occasional M-class flares (R1-R2, Minor-Moderate) on 17-18 Oct, dropping to likely on 19 Oct. There is a slight chance for X-class flares (R3, Strong) through 18 Oct," NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center said in a three-day forecast.
According to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecasts, there is an 80 percent chance of the sunspot producing an M-class solar flare on October 17 and a 20 percent chance of an X-class flare.
On October 18, there is a 75 percent chance of M-class flares and a 15 percent chance of X-class flares.
"Solar activity is expected to be moderate to high due to occasional M-class flares (R1-R2, Minor-Moderate) on 17-18 Oct, dropping to likely on 19 Oct. There is a slight chance for X-class flares (R3, Strong) through 18 Oct," NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center said in a three-day forecast.
According to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecasts, there is an 80 percent chance of the sunspot producing an M-class solar flare on October 17 and a 20 percent chance of an X-class flare.
On October 18, there is a 75 percent chance of M-class flares and a 15 percent chance of X-class flares.
"Solar activity is expected to be moderate to high due to occasional M-class flares (R1-R2, Minor-Moderate) on 17-18 Oct, dropping to likely on 19 Oct. There is a slight chance for X-class flares (R3, Strong) through 18 Oct," NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center said in a three-day forecast.
Solar flares are flashes of ultraviolet and X-ray radiation released from active areas of the sun's surface, usually sunspots. They are classed by power on a scale of A, B, C, M, and X-class, where X is the most powerful. X-class flares are10 times strongerthan M-class flares, and M-class is 10 times stronger than C-class.
Solar Flare Warning as Earth in Crosshairs of Explosive New Sunspot
A new sunspot forming on the surface of the sun might be about to fling solar flares in our direction.
The sunspot, named 3856, is facing Earth and has developed a volatile type of magnetic field known as a "beta-gamma-delta" field, meaning that it has a greater chance of releasing powerful solar flares
According to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecasts, there is an 80 percent chance of the sunspot producing an M-class solar flare on October 17 and a 20 percent chance of an X-class flare.
On October 18, there is a 75 percent chance of M-class flares and a 15 percent chance of X-class flares.
"Solar activity is expected to be moderate to high due to occasional M-class flares (R1-R2, Minor-Moderate) on 17-18 Oct, dropping to likely on 19 Oct. There is a slight chance for X-class flares (R3, Strong) through 18 Oct," NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center said in a three-day forecast.
According to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecasts, there is an 80 percent chance of the sunspot producing an M-class solar flare on October 17 and a 20 percent chance of an X-class flare.
On October 18, there is a 75 percent chance of M-class flares and a 15 percent chance of X-class flares.
"Solar activity is expected to be moderate to high due to occasional M-class flares (R1-R2, Minor-Moderate) on 17-18 Oct, dropping to likely on 19 Oct. There is a slight chance for X-class flares (R3, Strong) through 18 Oct," NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center said in a three-day forecast.
According to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecasts, there is an 80 percent chance of the sunspot producing an M-class solar flare on October 17 and a 20 percent chance of an X-class flare.
On October 18, there is a 75 percent chance of M-class flares and a 15 percent chance of X-class flares.
"Solar activity is expected to be moderate to high due to occasional M-class flares (R1-R2, Minor-Moderate) on 17-18 Oct, dropping to likely on 19 Oct. There is a slight chance for X-class flares (R3, Strong) through 18 Oct," NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center said in a three-day forecast.
According to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecasts, there is an 80 percent chance of the sunspot producing an M-class solar flare on October 17 and a 20 percent chance of an X-class flare.
On October 18, there is a 75 percent chance of M-class flares and a 15 percent chance of X-class flares.
"Solar activity is expected to be moderate to high due to occasional M-class flares (R1-R2, Minor-Moderate) on 17-18 Oct, dropping to likely on 19 Oct. There is a slight chance for X-class flares (R3, Strong) through 18 Oct," NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center said in a three-day forecast.
Solar flares are flashes of ultraviolet and X-ray radiation released from active areas of the sun's surface, usually sunspots. They are classed by power on a scale of A, B, C, M, and X-class, where X is the most powerful. X-class flares are 10 times stronger than M-class flares, and M-class is 10 times stronger than C-class.