The strongest solar flare of the summer, an X1.4-class flare, just erupted on July 12th. It was the second X-class solar flare in just one week. It peaked at 12:52 p.m. EDT (1652 GMT) on the 12th. The massive X-class flare included a powerful coronal mass ejection. The CME, a mass of charged solar plasma
[UPDATED May 11, 2012 – M-Class solar flares; see below] NASA scientists are calling it a “monster sunspot” and its size is calculated to be 60,000 miles (100,000 km) from end to end. The huge sunspot comprises most of Active Region (AR) 1476, which rotated into view this weekend. Images of the region were picked
There’s a bit of hysteria about the whole end-of-the world in December 2012 thing. I’ve got some comments on it–researched it a bit several years ago–but will leave that for another day. For today, here’s a response from NASA on the concern that there will be earth-destroying solar flares or solar storms (to put
[updated content; Solar Flare, see below] At three times the diameter of the Earth — 25, 000 miles/40,000 km wide and 50,000miles / 80,000 km long — the newest sunspot to make its appearance on our sun’s surface is the largest seen in years, according to NASA experts. The sunspot is part of Active Region
Our Sun is experiencing the most prolonged period of minimal sunspot activity in nearly a century. The puzzling absence of these spots, whose build-up commonly signals the occurrence of large solar storms and flares, has space scientists and solar physicists searching for explanations.
ESA
