Sun Targets Earth with a Massive Solar Flare

Earlier this week, the Sun shot out a flare more intense than any other this year, causing an hour-long blackout on Earth.

The flare was emitted from Active Region 12297 on Wednesday and reached its maximum intensity at around noon Eastern Time. The flare, termed monstrous given its size and intensity, was directed at Earth. Flares are labelled B, C, M, or X depending on their intensity. Wednesday's solar flare was class X, reports The Huffington Post.

According to NBC News, the blackout was mainly noted in Americas and affected high frequency radio communications. Solar flares also involve release of hot plasma from the Sun's corona called Coronal Mass Ejections (CME), which take days to reach Earth after the flare. While it was not immediately known on Wednesday if a CME followed, the Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) issued a warning for minor geomagnetic storm for Earth.

"Analysis revealed multiple coronal mass ejections (CMEs) associated with several R1 (Minor) and R2 (Moderate) radio blackouts, as well as the R3 (Strong) radio blackout. However, only two of the CMEs were of particular interest, with the others having a trajectory too far off the Sun-Earth line. The CME from the R3 (Strong) radio blackout, while impressive in coronagraph imagery, should pass well to the east of the Sun-Earth line. Analysis is on-going for the more recent R1 (Minor) radio blackouts," SWPC said.

"In addition to the G1 (Minor) WATCH issued for 13 March, a G1 (Minor) geomagnetic Storm WATCH has been issued for 14 March," it added.