NASA says Sun emitted a 'significant solar flare' on July 3; shares image of the event

On Saturday, July 3, a solar flare erupting from sun was captured by NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory. surface of sun prompted its strongest X-class solar flare in 4 years at  AR2838 sunspot. sunspot which was observed appeared and disappeared quickly.

Sun flare occurrence

strongest type of solar flares are X-flares which are typically responsible for deepest radio blackouts and most intense geomagnetic storms. This explosion is first of Solar Cycle 25 which is classified as an X-1.5 class flare. While, during Solar Cycle of 24, sun produced 49 X-flares. And refore, scientists expect dozens of more X-flares as sun approaches Solar Maximum by year 2025.

Rob Stammes, operating in a wear observatory in Lofoten, rway reported, " X-flare of July 3rd did something rare. "It disturbed all of my instruments. flare produced a radio burst, an iospheric disturbance, a surge of electrical currents in ground, and a deflection of observatory's local magnetic field".

phemen is kwn as magnetic crochet where radiation from flare will ionize top of Earth's atmosphere and cause currents to flow from 60km to 100km above Earth's surface. Due to this phemen, a pulse of X-rays ionized top of Earth's atmosphere, causing a shortwave radio blackout over Atlantic Ocean. Unusual propagation effects below 30 MHz just after 1429 UT might have been observed by  Mariners, aviators, and amateur radio operators.

Solar flares classification

Solar flares are classified as A, B, C, M or X based on ir X-ray brightness. A is smaller while X is largest and brightest. recently observed solar flare was first X flare spotted on sun's surface since a new solar cycle began in December 2019. 

sun undergoes an 11-year activity where it swells to a peak at middle of cycle and n begins to quiet down until end of cycle when it all repeats. In line with Solar Cycle, Astromer and wear watcher Dr Tony Phillips said, " sunspot that produced X1.59 flare appeared suddenly, like a cloudless day that quickly turns stormy. Yesterday it did t even exist, highlighting unpredictability of solar activity".

He furr added, “More flares may be in offing, so stay tuned".

(Im credit: NASA)