2023-06-22 16:48:00
A new spot detected on the surface of the Sun is causing great concern in the scientific community. The huge blob, which a week ago was no bigger than any of the many others that can be seen on the Sun, has grown to be four times the size of Earth.
The new sunspot, which has been named AR3315, is so large that it can be seen with the naked eye without the need for a telescope, although those who want to see it are advised to use the same precautions necessary to observe a solar eclipse.
How sun spots affect us
The Sun has many spots and although experts have not yet been able to identify the reason for their existence, it has been determined that they are related to solar explosions and that they can interfere with the Earth’s electromagnetic field.
One of the ways that sunspots are potentially harmful to Earth is that the flares that cause them cause geomagnetic storms with coronal ejections of particles from the solar atmosphere into the solar system.
These eruptions release bursts of various radiations including X-rays and gamma rays that have the potential to affect the Earth’s electromagnetic field, damaging electrical circuits, transformers, and communications systems.
How this new sunspot might affect Earth
The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) warned that AR3315 might release dangerous amounts of solar energy and, according to a report by spaceweather.com, the blob shows an unstable magnetic field that makes it possible to eject flares. Class M and even dangerous Class X flares.
Since 2016 NOAA has been monitoring the behavior of sunspots, through the use of its DSCOVR satellite, whose data is analyzed by the Space Weather Prediction Center to issue a final report.
According to the report, scientists have already recorded a small Class M-1 flare, the lowest in the range, but it is feared that AR3315 will release a Class X-1 flare just as it is in front of Earth, which might constitute a threat. for our planet.
A National Geographic report explains that “X-class eruptions can cause large disturbances on Earth, such as high-frequency radio blackouts and geomagnetic storms.
These events can have significant effects on our technology, including satellite communication outages, power outages, and in extreme cases, damage to satellites and power systems.”
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