X-FLARE! Big sunspot AR2242 erupted on Saturday, Dec. 20th @ 00:27 UT, producing an intense X1.8-class solar flare. This picture taken by NASAs Solar Dynamics Observatory shows a plume of material flying away from the blast site: Radio emissions from shock waves rippling through the suns atmosphere suggest that a CME is en route. However, we are still waiting for data from SOHO coronagraphs to confirm the existence and trajectory of a massive storm cloud. If a CME is coming, it will probably take 2 to 3 days to reach Earth. There has already been one Earth-effect: Extreme UV radiation from the flare ionized our planets upper atmosphere and blacked out HF radio communications over Australia and the South Pacific. Below 10 MHz, transmissions were strongly attenuated for more than two hours. - spaceweather
Posted on: Sat, 20 Dec 2014 14:09:58 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015