spacetoday.net: Powerful solar flares erupt

Powerful solar flares erupt

Posted: Thu, Mar 8, 2012, 6:48 AM ET (1148 GMT)
Solar flare on 2012 March 7 (NASA)

A pair of solar flares, including the second biggest of the current solar cycle, erupted on the Sun this week, threatening to create a geomagnetic storm at Earth over the next day. An X5.4 flare took place on the Sun at approximately 7 pm EST March 6 (0000 GMT March 7), followed a little over an hour later by a X1.3 flare. The X5.4 flare is the largest flare seen during the current cycle of solar activity after an X6.9 flare last August. The flares are expected to create a geomagnetic storm, including aurorae and possible interference with communications, on Thursday. That storm could be the biggest in five years, scientists predict.