On Friday, January 17, two flares occurred on the Sun, which belong to the penultimate power class. This was reported at the Institute of Applied Geophysics.
At 05:11 Moscow time, a class M1.3 flare was recorded in sunspot group 3964 (N06W24), which lasted 16 minutes. Then, at 06:20, a class M1.2 flare occurred in sunspot group 3961 (S11E44), which lasted 28 minutes.
According to the Laboratory of Solar Astronomy of the IKI RAS and ISZF SB RAS, no class M flares have been recorded on the Sun since January 11.
Depending on the strength of X-ray radiation, solar flares are divided into five categories: A, B, C, M, and X. Class A0.0 flares have a minimum radiation power in Earth orbit, which is 10 nW per square meter. When moving to the next letter, the radiation power increases by a factor of 10.
Usually, flares are accompanied by emissions of solar plasma, which, reaching the Earth, can cause magnetic storms.
Earlier, two flares of the highest class covered the Earth on December 30. It was one of the strongest bursts of solar activity in 2024.
In December 2024, scientists gave a frightening forecast of space weather. In the next two to three years, there will be more magnetic storms. Approximately until 2028, people will have to live in conditions of magnetic storms and auroras.
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