Sun releases strongest X-ray flares since 2005, scientists warn massive sunspot yet to burst

The sun emitted its biggest solar flare since 2005 on Tuesday (May 14), days after Earth was hit by severe solar storms and led to dazzling northern lights in different places.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's(NOAA) Space Weather Prediction Centre, the latest flare reached its peak just before 1 pm ET and had an X-class rating of X8.7.

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X-class solar flares are the strongest solar flares, which according to NASA are "giant explosions on the sunthat send energy, light andhigh speedparticles into space."

As per the centre, the solar flare was an R3 or "strong" flare, which meant that it may have led to wide-area blackouts of high-frequency radio communications for nearly an hour on the Earth's sunlit side.

Also Read:Gigantic sunspot, wide enough to fill 15 worlds, hits Earth with powerful X-class solar flare

It may have also led to low-frequency navigation signal issues during the sameperiod of time.

Sunspot, much larger than Earth, to soon explode into flares

"Flares of this magnitude are not frequent," said thecentrein its update, as the NOAA also wrote, "Region 3664 not done yet!"

The solar flare was released from the sunspot named 3664. When that spot is combined with another sunspot dubbed 3663, it becomes "much larger than Earth," NOAA said.

The centre said that till last Thursday, 3664 was only continuing "to grow and increase in magnetic complexity and hasevolved into a higher threatof increased solar flare risk."

Just before the massive solar flare, two other solar flares, rated X1.7 and X1.2,also erupted, even though they were not likelyto have any major impacton Earth.

Even though the flare had intensity, the officials said that they were not concerned about coronal mass ejection.

Such coronal mass ejection had caused geomagnetic storms like therare extreme stormwhich took place over the weekend and sent thenorthern lightsto far lower latitudes than normal. It also jeopardised the GPS systemson which farmers rely during the planting season.

Watch:Strong solar storm hits earth; threatens to disrupt communication & power grids

"Due to its location, any CME associated with this flarewill likely nothave any geomagnetic impacts on Earth," the Space Weather Prediction Center said.

Currently, Earth is inSolar Cycle 25 which started in 2020.

"While we are not predicting a particularly active Solar Cycle 25, violent eruptions from the Sun can occur at any time," said Doug Biesecker, a solar physicist at NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Centre.

(With inputs from agencies)