Solar activity continues to increase: on April 24, a second highest-class X flare of the day was recorded on the Sun. This was reported by the Institute of Applied Geophysics.
The event occurred at 11:13 Moscow time in sunspot group 4419. The X2.5 flare lasted about 17 minutes.
Earlier the same day, specialists from the Laboratory of Solar Astronomy of the Space Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Institute of Solar-Terrestrial Physics of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences reported the first flare of similar strength — it was already reported by "Pervyi Tekhnicheskii". It became the strongest event in nearly the last 2.5 months.
Solar flares are classified by the power of their X-ray radiation — from A to X, with the latter class considered the strongest. Each next category means a tenfold increase in power.
Such events may be accompanied by plasma ejections. If they are directed toward Earth, this can cause geomagnetic storms.
Read more on the topic:
- The Sun produced two M-class flares in a row: rising activity had been predicted this week
- Russia has learned to predict solar flares that are dangerous for satellites and communications
- G1-G2 level magnetic storms to cover Earth on the weekend: coronal hole returns to the Sun with a 27-day cycle