Massive sunspot unleashes powerful solar flare

A massive solar flare erupted on Thursday. Scientists have classified the solar flare as X1.9 flare, one of the most powerful flares the sun can produce. The flare erupted from a sunspot astronomers say is one of the largest seen in recent years.

Space.com reports the flare, which began at 4:27 p.m. ET (2027 GMT), according to NASA officials, triggered,

"...some disruption to radio communications on Earth beginning about 45 minutes later...Scientists are continuing to watch this active region as it could well produce additional solar activity as it passes across the front of the sun."

Discovery News reports the effect of the x-rays the flare generated was detected in the Earth's upper atmosphere "as waves of ionization altered the propagation of radio waves over Europe and America." The sunspot region, which produced the solar flare, is about 50,000 miles long and is called active region 1339. NASA says it will be watching the region in the next 10 days because they expect more activity. USA Today reports Thursday's flare was not aimed directly at the Earth, but the active region is now slowing rotating in the direction of the Earth. Astronomers say the active region will be directly facing the Earth in about five days. A strong flare, while the active region is facing the Earth, could disrupt communications and electrical systems. Officials of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) are looking out for fresh flares as the active region aligns with the earth:

"The large, bright active region remains potent...Odds are good there's more to come."

Space.com reports that at about the time the flare erupted, another region on the sun experienced a sudden burst of charged particles astronomers call a corona mass ejection. This burst occurred on the side of the sun away from the the earth in the direction of Venus and is not expected to affect the Earth in any way. Discovery News says sunspots result from intense magnetic stress inside the sun.This latest flare is part of a general pattern of heightened activity in the sun in recent times. Astronomers say the sun is moving toward peak activity in its 11-year cycle around 2013, and we should expect to see more sunspots as strong magnetic fields break to the surface of the sun.