NASA has detected a large group of sunspots (dark spots on the sun) known as AR3576. AR3576 has increased in size over the last month and could pose a risk of powerful solar flares.
Solar flares, large bursts of energy on the sun’s surface, can pose a danger to spacecraft and astronauts and can also affect radio communications, power grids and navigation signals, according to NASA. be.
In fact, NASA captured a massive solar flare on Friday at its Solar Dynamics Observatory.
And in December, the largest solar flare in six years sent a burst of radiation toward Earth, causing problems with aircraft radio communications.
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NASA has detected a massive sunspot cloud that could cause powerful solar flares. (NASA)
A sunspot’s magnetic field is thousands of times stronger than Earth’s magnetic field.
The space agency first discovered the group late last month from NASA’s Perseverance rover on Mars, which now faces Earth.
Sunspots are on average the size of Earth, but appear dimmer than the rest of the sun. This is because sunspots are colder and can cause solar flares when magnetic field lines intersect. Some of AR3576’s sunspots are actually larger than Earth.
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NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory captured photos of a massive solar flare on Friday. (NASA/SDO)
“Real-time images from NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory show that a giant sunspot group is now moving across the Sun!” NASA posted on Friday. “If you have eclipse glasses and good eyesight, you may be able to see the sun without magnification. (Do not look directly at the sun without proper eye protection!)”
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AR3576 is approximately 93,200 miles long, nearly four times the circumference of the Earth.
