“Might As Well Call It An X-Flare!”: Sun Burps Strong Solar Flare

Original article here.

The space weather community on social media platform X reports a powerful solar flare around the center disk of the sun that almost registered as an X-class earlier today.

Space weather and aurora website SolarHam reports, “A strong solar flare (M9.8) was just detected around AR 3500 near center disk. A wave of plasma appears to be leaving the flare site, a good sign for a potential Earth-directed eruption.”

A strong solar flare (M9.8) was just detected around AR 3500 near center disk. A wave of plasma appears to be leaving the flare site, a good sign for a potential Earth directed eruption. https://t.co/aqK4Q6XdAY pic.twitter.com/BnE76wCUAu

— SolarHam (@SolarHam) November 28, 2023

“Might as well call it an X-Flare!” one X user said.

Strong Solar Flare – Might as well call it an X-Flare!
A noteworthy solar flare reaching very close to the X1.0 threshold was just detected around AR 3500 at 19:50 UTC (Nov 28) The source was AR 3500, now in a good position for Earth directed eruptions. In fact, a wave of plasma… pic.twitter.com/gy43kILXNe

— Oppenheimer Ranch Project (@Diamondthedave) November 28, 2023

“The solar flare is eruptive and seems likely to produce a CME in Earth’s direction. The radiation caused by the solar flare is also affecting Earth’s ionosphere on the daylit side and may interfere with users of high-frequency radio communications,” aurora forecast website Space Weather Watch wrote in an X post.

Impressive solar flare occurring now from center disk, currently an M8.5-class solar flare and still rising. The solar flare is eruptive and seems likely to produce a CME in Earth’s direction.
The radiation caused by the solar flare is also affecting Earth’s ionosphere on the… pic.twitter.com/kv114L8UVc

— Space Weather Watch (@spacewxwatch) November 28, 2023

University of Maryland Solar physicist Keith Strong said, “In about a week (assuming it survives) it will move into a geoeffective position and high-speed solar wind from it will likely impact the Earth, causing geomagnetic storms.”

CORONAL HOLE ALERT! A large coronal hole has just appeared over the E limb close to the equator (dark area). In about a week (assuming it survives) it will move into a geoeffective position and high-speed solar wind from it will likely impact the Earth causing geomagnetic storms pic.twitter.com/T15exgwjnC

— Keith Strong (@drkstrong) November 28, 2023

The commonly used system for classifying solar flares categorizes them based on their intensity. The weakest are A-class flares, followed in ascending order of strength by B, C, M, and X classes.

Powerful X-class solar flares can cause damage, particularly to satellites, communications systems, and power grids on Earth.

The frequency of solar flares increases as the sun moves towards another solar maximum.