Solar Salvo Sends Blasts Into Space
The largest group of sunspots seen in nearly a quarter-century sent a barrage of solar flares into space, three of which were among some of the most powerful that the sun can create.
Solar flares are gigantic explosions on the surface of the sun, which send streams of dangerous charged particles rushing into space.
If Earth happens to be in the path of the blasts, the resulting geomagnetic storms can knock out satellite electronics, disrupt high-frequency communications and even bring down power grids.
Such storms also produce vivid aurora displays.
The only significant effects on Earth from the latest blasts by the AR 12192 sunspot were radio blackouts at some frequencies. This is mainly because the solar eruptions did not send out blasts of plasma, known as coronal mass ejections.
The largest sunspot in history was observed in 1947 and grew to be three times larger than the one currently producing the swarm of flares.
Many skywatchers who were taking photos of the partial solar eclipse across North America during the previous week managed to capture images of the massive sunspot as well.
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