Powerful Solar Flares
A huge solar flare erupted from the surface of the sun late Sunday (May 12), followed by an even more powerful blast less than 24 hours later. The solar eruptions are the most powerful ones seen so far this year.
Sunday's flare unleashed a wave of plasma and charged particles, called a coronal mass ejection (CME), into space. While the CME was not directed at Earth, the weekend flare triggered an hourlong high-frequency radio blackout, according to the Space Weather Prediction Centre, which is managed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
When they are aimed directly at Earth, X-class solar flares can interfere with satellites in orbit and communications infrastructure on the ground. Powerful sun storms can also be hazardous to astronauts living aboard the International Space Station.
On Earth, solar eruptions can cause radiation storms that intensify normal aurora displays (also called the northern and southern lights) for skywatchers at high latitudes.
Solar activity ebbs and flows on an 11-year cycle. The sun is currently in an active phase of Solar Cycle 24, which began in 2008 and is expected to peak later this year.
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