Two flares of the penultimate power class were recorded on the Sun on April 27, as reported by specialists from the Institute of Applied Geophysics. The first flare, M6.0, occurred at 01:57 Moscow time in sunspot group 4420 and lasted 11 minutes. The second, less intense flare, M1.1, was registered at 09:45 Moscow time in region 4425, and its duration was 23 minutes.
Solar flares are classified by X-ray radiation power into five categories: A, B, C, M, and X. With each subsequent letter on the scale, the radiation energy increases tenfold. M-class flares are considered medium-strength events, but even they can be accompanied by plasma ejections. If a cloud of charged particles reaches Earth, it can trigger geomagnetic disturbances.
According to the institute, six M-class flares occurred on the Sun over the past weekend. Such activity is typical for the current stage of the 11-year cycle, when the number of sunspots and associated events gradually increases. Specialists continue monitoring: in the event of a coronal mass ejection towards Earth, short-term disruptions in shortwave radio communication and satellite navigation in polar latitudes are possible.
For most people, geomagnetic storms do not pose a direct threat to health. However, weather-sensitive individuals are advised to monitor forecasts and adjust their workload if necessary. Technical services for power grids and aviation receive advance warnings to minimize risks.
