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Massive sunspot AR3664: A gigantic sunspot, AR3664, on the surface of the sun ballooned and grew so massive that it can fit 15 Earths and has become the most active one in the current solar cycle. 

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Now, this gigantic sunspot released a powerful X-class solar flare towards the Earth which led to radio blackouts in various areas. 

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Space Weather Prediction Center had earlier this week issued a warning of increased solar flare risk from the Sun.

"Region 3664 has grown considerably and has become much more magnetically complex," read NOAA's SWPC reports. "This has led to increased solar flare probabilities over the next several days," it added.

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Also Read: Sun fires massive solar flares directly at Earth; Australia, Japan and China witness radio blackouts

The giant sunspot has fired more powerful solar flares in recent days than estimated. This included a colossal X-class solar flare which was released on May 9 morning and peaked at 5:13 am EDT (0913 GMT).

Solar flares are eruptions from the surface of the sun which release intense bursts of electromagnetic radiation. According to their size, the solar flares have been categorised into lettered groups and the X-class is considered the most powerful. 

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Because of this, the X-flare led to shortwave radio blackouts across parts of Europe and Africa. The radio blackouts happened due to extreme ultraviolet radiation which was released during the eruption and the strong pulse of X-rays.

Sunspot visible from Earth 

The sunspot AR3664, which is spread across 124,000 (200,000 kilometres), is currently 15 times wider than Earth, as per Spaceweather.com. 

The sunspot is so huge that it is visible from Earth without any need for magnification. Those who have a pair of solar eclipse glasses can use them to observe the sun and observe the mammoth sunspot cross the solar disk. 

NASA shares images of dancing loops

In a recent post, NASA shared two GIFs (graphics interchange format) which captured the moment two powerful solar flares were unleashed by the sun. 

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The two solar flares erupted on May 7 and May 8 from the sunspots AR3663 and AR3664. 

"You make a loop-de-loop and pull, and your Sun is looking cool! Late at night on May 7 and in the wee hours of May 8, the Sun emitted this powerful pair of solar flares. These two energetic flashes with dancing loops were captured by @NASAGoddard's Solar Dynamics Observatory, which always has its eye on the Sun," wrote NASA, in the caption of the post. 

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"The Sun-like even the most vibrant people-is not a constant ray of sunshine. It constantly cycles through periods of higher and lower activity. High activity can lead to these solar flares, or dramatic explosions of energy out from the Sun," NASA added.

(With inputs from agencies)