See NASA's Stunning Image of the Sun Spitting Out Its Biggest Solar Flare Since 2017

This morning a very strong solar flare occurred. This flare will enhance the chances of northern lights and could cause communications disruptions.

NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory has detected the strongest solar eruption of the current sunspot cycle. The solar flare was rated at X9.0 strength. The higher number means the solar flare was stronger. We also had an X7.2 flare on October 1.

This morning a very strong solar flare occurred. This flare will enhance the chances of northern lights and could cause communications disruptions.

NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory has detected the strongest solar eruption of the current sunspot cycle. The solar flare was rated at X9.0 strength. The higher number means the solar flare was stronger. We also had an X7.2 flare on October 1.

In May we had several days of stellar northern lights displays as far south as Texas. That solar flare was rated at X8.7.

This means today’s solar flare was even stronger than May’s solar eruption.

Solar flares don’t always produce a Coronal Mass Ejection (CME). CMEs increase the chances of northern lights. With today’s solar flare a CME was detected. The energy from the CME will hit our atmosphere in a few days and should produce northern lights.

Right now it’s still unclear if the CME will hit Earth’s upper atmosphere straight on or just as a glancing blow. The strength of the solar flare has caused NOAA to increase the chances of various levels of a geomagnetic storm.