Earth Alert: Solar Storm Imminent!
Researchers are expressing concerns over a significant increase in solar activity cases, which has long been a focal point of study for space scientists due to its potential impact on Earth. Consequently, space agencies such as ESA and NASA diligently monitor the Sun and its solar activity using their advanced instruments.
NASA has recently spotted a huge array of sunspots heading towards Earth. According to reports, this sunspot region has started releasing solar storms that could enter the Earth’s atmosphere anytime soon. Check here to see what reports have been revealed.
Dense sunspots cause solar storms
According to a report by spaceweather.com, the observed sunspot group consists of about 12 sunspots that are about 125,000 miles wide, 15 times the size of our planet! These sunspots may send a solar storm to Earth today. As mentioned in the report, this group of sunspots is quite active today. It has already released three M-class and several C-class solar flares.
According to a report by Business Insider, space weather experts are observing this group of sunspots as it is currently facing our planet. In an interview with Business Insider, Daniel Verscharen, associate professor of space and climate physics at University College London, said:
“Sunspot groups are areas we pay special attention to. They are regions of the sun’s photosphere where the magnetic field is particularly strong and often complex. These complex magnetic fields are more likely to become sources of flare and mass eruptions.”
How can these sunspots affect the Earth?
Since this sunspot group faces Earth, it can have direct effects on Earth. According to reports, it can send a solar storm directly to Earth. If it is a massive solar storm, it could affect astronauts and spacecraft currently orbiting the earth. According to the ESA, M-class flares are medium in size; they usually cause short radio outages that can affect Earth’s polar regions. Sometimes a small amount of radiation can also occur after an M-class solar flare.
NASA designed the Solar Dynamics Observatory to understand the sun’s effect on Earth and near-Earth space. Advances in technology have helped us better understand the universe and its effects on our planet.
