The European Space Agency shows a golden aurora with a splash of red through the stars during the night of December 13, 2014. A powerful aurora is expected in the Earth’s atmosphere starting Thursday as a strong solar flare passes through. File Photo by NASA/UPI | License Photo
The sun released a powerful solar flare to start the month of October, which could lead to supercharged aurora displays over the weekend.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Space Weather Prediction Center sun let loose a powerful flare with intensity measured at X7.1, the second strongest on the star’s current solar cycle. Advertisement
A coronal mass ejection associated with the solar flare is expected to cause minor to powerful geomagnetic storms on Earth from Thursday through Saturday.
Scientists have said while the planet is not in danger, such powerful flares can cause temporary radio blackouts along with shaking up navigation systems, power grids and possibly some satellite communications.
The solar flare is one of the most significant in the current solar cycle, which the sun goes through every 11 years. Electronic disruptions are most likely to occur in parts of the Western Hemisphere, the Pacific Ocean, Australia, and the Asia-Pacific.
The good thing scientists are expecting is an impressive light show in the form of auroras over the next few days.
Researchers said the “remarkable power” of the flare could be as impressive as the so-called “Great Halloween” solar storm in 2003. Advertisement
That solar storm, also in October, came from one of the largest solar flares on record at the time and became the sixth most intense storm seen in more than 70 years, the NOAA said.
