In 2023's final hours, the Sun released its strongest solar flare in the last six years. It was then predicted that blast radiation could lead to auroras over the skies of the Earth.
X5-Class Solar Flare Released on New Year's Eve
The massive X5-class flare was detected by satellites close to Earth. The massive flare serves as the most powerful solar explosion that has been observed since 2017.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration also reports that the solar flare was accompanied by a huge blob of solar particles with high speed called a coronal mass ejection (CME). It is predicted that this CME could graze over the magnetic field of the Earth on January 2 and potentially lead to auroras over the sky and mild geomagnetic storms.
While the best places for aurora viewing are close to the poles of the Earth, the CMEs are capable of pushing these auroras to latitudes that are lower than usual.
This X5-class flare of December 31 was the strongest of the year, beating the massive X2.8 flare that was released from the exact same spot on the Sun last December 14. Back then, the X2.8 solar flare was also dubbed the strongest flare since September 2017.
Solar Activity
Solar flares take place when the Sun's magnetic fields end up too tangled and snap in a way that is similar to rubber bands. It then kicks up strong radiation waves that stream through space at incredibly high speeds. While there are various solar flares, X-class flares are the strongest ones. They have also been acknowledged to lead to satellite, radio system, and power grid interference.
Interestingly, the New Year's Eve solar flare was also the strongest flare of the solar cycle at present, which is solar cycle 25. This cycle started in 2019 and is believed to peak this year.
The Sun adheres to an 11-year solar cycle, wherein it peaks at a point known as the solar maximum. At first, the peak was predicted to hit in 2025 and be quite mild. However, heightened solar activity in 2023 has led scientists to make changes to their predictions.
In fact, 2023 was a year where the world witnessed the strongest geomagnetic storms in the last two decades. Moreover, it also saw a 20-year high record in sunspot count observed in a single month.
With this, the solar maximum is believed to hit around 2024. If the intense solar activity last year could serve as an indication, then this peak could be an intense one.
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