Powerful X1.6-class Solar Flare

Powerful X Class Flare

X-FLARE: Earth-orbiting satellites have just detected a powerful X1.6-class solar flare (Sept. 10 @ 17:46 UT). The source was active sunspot AR2158, which is directly facing Earth. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory recorded the extreme ultraviolet flash:

Soaceweather

Solar Storm Warning: Sun Shoots X-Flare Outburst at Earth BY ALAN BOYLE A cantankerous sunspot region erupted with a powerful X1.6-class solar flare at just the wrong time Wednesday. The blast was pointing right at us. That means any resulting outburst of electrically charged particles, known as a coronal mass ejection or CME, could have a disruptive effect.

"Initial information suggests that CME is likely associated with this event, but further analysis is underway at this time," the National Weather Service's Space Weather Prediction Center reported on its Facebook page.

Solar storms don't have a significant impact on human health, although high-altitude fliers and astronauts may get an extra dose of radiation. In a worst-case scenario, the storms can deal a blow to orbiting satellites and power grids on Earth. In a best-case scenario, they merely cause heightened auroral displays.

It generally takes a couple of days for the charged particles associated with a CME to make their way to Earth. The sunspot region is known as AR2158, and it's been acting up over the past few days. Wednesday's flare was detected at about 1:45 p.m. ET and was strong enough to cause a wide-area blackout of high-frequency radio communication for about an hour. X-class flares represent the most powerful kind of solar blasts (as opposed to medium M-class flares or the lower-energy A, B or C classes). Solar scientists spotted a triple-X outburst in June, but none of those blasts was directed toward Earth. Check SpaceWeather.com for more on the solar storm, and if there are significant developments, we'll update this item. First published September 10th 2014, 12:09 pm

NBC news

Wednesday's flare was detected at about 1:45 p.m. ET and was strong enough to cause a wide-area blackout of high-frequency radio communication for about an hour.

Newa reply to: violet

New to ATS and have limited knowledge with regard to solar flames other than can cause power cuts etc. Is this big enough to cause major problems to us and how long till it hits earth. Sorry for questions but bit clueless about such thinks although quite knowledgable about others.

Forgive my stupidity but solar flares cause the aurora borealis ? I'm going to be high in the Scottish mountains as of Monday next week. Do solar flares especially large ones have a few day life spans ? What would be the chances of me getting a glimpse of the northern lights banking on clear weather in Scotland

a reply to: anxiouswens

I think they take 2 pr 3 days to hit earth
And can effect the power grid and radio or GPS

Will the ISS reposition itself in order to avoid the radiation? Somewhere in the back of mind if my memory serves me correctly, they repositioned not that long ago in order to avoid a possible collision with a falling satellite. Someone clarify for me please?

Gee, I don't go on the net for fifteen hours and then forget to look at space weather before logging on and something happens. We have clouds and rain here today. I did scan all the new science daily articles and read three, but didn't do my daily look at space weather. I feel I messed up again.

Good catch. They haven't figured out if there was much of a cme yet, I suppose that news will soon appear.

a reply to: anxiouswens
www.spaceweather.com has a great explanation. Sounds like auroras could be visible this weekend in northern US states like Maine and Michigan or similar latitudes. Unless you are on the space station or flying at high altitude over the poles shouldn't impact you.

Crazy. Hope the impact is more hype than reality.

With the Volcano Barabunga in Iceland about to blow it's top…could this affect that ….?

I am sure i have read before that volcanic,seismic activity follows on from activity from the sun (magnetic fields et al)……I read this evening 8.00 PM GMT that this volcano in Iceland has started to show serious signs of a mjor eruption….

Regards

PDUK

originally posted by: ThePeaceMaker
Forgive my stupidity but solar flares cause the aurora borealis ? I'm going to be high in the Scottish mountains as of Monday next week. Do solar flares especially large ones have a few day life spans ? What would be the chances of me getting a glimpse of the northern lights banking on clear weather in Scotland

There is an increased chance of seeing auroras.

a reply to: PurpleDog UK
I read that all the time as well , but I think it gets debunked.

I got the alert from my solar monitor app, then checked space weather to verify

Well, if it launches a CME our way, then we could see a BAD blackout in a couple of days.

The solar storm of 1859, also known as the Carrington Event,[1] was a powerful geomagnetic solar storm in 1859 during solar cycle 10. A solar coronal mass ejection hit Earth's magnetosphere and induced one of the largest geomagnetic storms on record. The associated "white light flare" in the solar photosphere was observed and recorded by English astronomers Richard C. Carrington and Richard Hodgson. Studies have shown that a solar storm of this magnitude occurring today would likely cause widespread problems for modern civilization. There is an estimated 12% chance of a similar event occurring between 2012 and 2022

en.wikipedia.org...

These are exactly the things we do need to worry about.

Keeping an eye out for more news, but from what I read on spaceweather, it does not sound good as it is a direct earth aimed event.

a reply to: ThePeaceMaker

Start here

Since Scotland is in the northern hemisphere, I should imagine you could get some astounding photos.

NOAA NWS Space Weather Prediction Center

Active Region 2158, now near center disk, produced a X1 (NOAA Scale R3- Strong) solar flare today at 10/1745 UTC. Impacts to HF radio communications on the daylight side of Earth are expected to last for more than an hour. Initial information suggests that CME is likely associated with this event, but further analysis is underway at this time.

Ionizing radiation from the flare could cause HF radio blackouts and other communications disturbances, especially on the day-lit side of Earth. In the next few hours, when coronagraph data from SOHO and STEREO become available, we will see if a CME emerges from the blast site. If so, the cloud would likely be aimed directly at Earth and could reach our planet in 2 to 3 days. Stay tuned for updates about geomagnetic storms in the offing. Aurora alerts:

originally posted by: violet

NOAA NWS Space Weather Prediction Center

Active Region 2158, now near center disk, produced a X1 (NOAA Scale R3- Strong) solar flare today at 10/1745 UTC. Impacts to HF radio communications on the daylight side of Earth are expected to last for more than an hour. Initial information suggests that CME is likely associated with this event, but further analysis is underway at this time.

Looks like we are the target...

From the gun itself:



Peace

a reply to: jude11

Indeed we are. I'm in the red zone

We're also in the red zone down here in South America.
Could we have power outages here?

UPDATED STORM FORECAST: NOAA forecasters have issued a geomagnetic storm warning for Sept. 12th when a CME launched on Sept. 9th (see below) is expected to deliver a glancing but potent blow to Earth's magnetic field. The storm could reach moderate intensity (G2-class) with auroras visible across northern-tier US states such as Maine, Michigan, and Minnnesota. Another CME could be following close on its heels if today's X-flare also launched a cloud in our direction. It all adds up to a high probability of geomagnetic storms in the days ahead. Aurora alerts:

The Spaceweather site is down.