Archival Photo. Credit: NASA/SDO
The Sun unleashed three powerful solar flares, all categorized as M-class events, early Sunday morning. This information was confirmed by the Laboratory of Solar Astronomy at the Space Research Institute (IKI) of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS).
According to data published by the Laboratory, the flares occurred within a rapid succession, originating from the same active region on the stellar surface, designated as region 4366.
Chronology of Events
- 05:05 MSK: The first flare registered with a rating of M1.7.
- 06:41 MSK: A slightly weaker eruption followed, measuring M1.0.
- 07:20 MSK: The strongest event of the trio occurred, classified as M1.9.
Just the day before, researchers at the Laboratory had reported a significant surge in solar activity after a relatively calm period. Scientists caution that this escalation could potentially lead to flares reaching the highest power level, known as the X-class.
M-class flares are considered medium-sized events, capable of causing minor radio blackouts in polar regions and occasionally producing geomagnetic storms if directed toward Earth. X-class flares, however, are the most intense and can trigger widespread and severe disruption to communication and power grids globally.
