Aurora Borealis Over the Weekend and Radio Disruptions: Earth Struck by "Powerful" X-Class Solar Storm

The sun has emitted a strong solar flare, which peaked at 5:43 am EDT on 12 September 2024. This was reported by NASA, and the Solar Dynamics Observatory, which constantly monitors the Sun, took a photo of the event.

This intense solar storm hitting the Earth could bring the northern lights to the night sky earlier and further south than usual, opening up a better chance of seeing the aurora borealis in the United States this weekend. 

The new solar storm is caused by coronal mass ejections (CMEs), which are explosions of particles leaving the Sun. When these particles arrive at Earth, they disrupt its magnetic field.

Flares and solar eruptions can affect radio communications, power grids, navigation signals and pose a risk to spacecraft and astronauts.

Loops ten times the size of the Earth jump out from the Sun's surface as the Sun's magnetic fields cross each other and reconnect. In the largest events, this reconnection process can produce as much energy as a billion hydrogen bombs. Whether caused by a solar flare or a coronal mass ejection, a solar storm can trigger an electromagnetic pulse.

If they are directed at Earth, such flares and associated CMEs can create prolonged radiation storms that can damage satellites, communications systems, and even ground-based technologies and power grids. For example, the Class X flares of 5 and 6 December 2006 caused a CME that interfered with GPS signals sent to ground-based receivers.

Studies of nuclear weapons have shown that the detonation of certain types of warheads also causes electromagnetic rays - EMP. There is therefore concern about man-made EMPs being used in terrorist attacks.

This fresh outbreak is classified as a X1.3 flare, which is the third level on a five-point scale. Class X denotes the strongest flares, and the number gives more information about their strength. 

To find out how this space weather can affect Earth, visit NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Centre, the official U.S. government source for space weather forecasts, watches, warnings and alerts. 

NASA operates as the research arm of the national space weather effort. NASA continuously observes the Sun and our space environment with a fleet of spacecraft that study everything from the Sun's activity to the solar atmosphere to particles and magnetic fields in space around the Earth.