Experts care to underline that solar flares can cause a lot of damage. Yesterday’s event was no different as the flare was so powerful that it triggered a strong radio blackout as it peaked. The effect was limited to only some part of Earth and it was seen by U.S. Space Weather Prediction Center which also issued an alert for the event.
The sunspot region classified as Active Region 2242 was responsible for this last massive solar flare. According to experts though there are still many reasons we should continue worrying: “More minor to moderate radio blackouts are expected, with an ongoing chance for another strong event.”
These strong solar flares can disrupt GPS navigation systems and even our communication systems if aimed directly at Earth. Stronger eruptions of solar material can even trigger geomagnetic storms on Earth.
