The sun is spewing massive solar flares toward Earth. Here's what happens next.
These blasts of solar radiation, known as coronal mass ejections, or CMEs, came from the AR4168 sunspot region on Aug. 3-4, according to Space.com and EarthSky. It fired its most powerful outburst, an M4.4-class flare, on Aug. 5. Space.com reports that the explosions could provide an opportunity to view the northern lights in northern Maine and Michigan on Aug. 8.
How Earth's atmosphere shields it from solar flares
Although no significant "space weather" effects have been verified so far, one flare might have sent a small burst in Earth's direction. Space physics student and aurora chaser Vincent Ledvina posted on X that it has a 12% chance of impact and could arrive around midnight Coordinated Universal Time on Aug. 7, according to Space.com.
The Earth's atmosphere and magnetic field shield us from most of the sun's radiation, so solar flares are unlikely to harm people or animals directly on the surface. But the bursts can cause problems with technology and infrastructure.
Impact of solar flares on Earth
AR3038, another area of several active sunspots, also could release more M-class solar flares, the second-most powerful of the five classifications. The strongest solar flares are X-class outbursts, according to NASA. Flares of the M class, which are 10 times smaller than those of the X class, are followed by flares of the C class, B class, and A class, which are too weak to have a major impact on Earth.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has classified solar flares into these five categories. The intensity of the X-rays they emit determines their identification. Like the Richter scale used to gauge earthquake intensity, each class letter denotes a tenfold increase in energy production, according to Space.com. Flares can last minutes to hours and can be seen as bright spots on the sun from telescopes.
CONTRIBUTING George Petras
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