A massive sunspot region, 15 times wider than Earth, sparks concerns as it churns out a series of powerful solar flares, setting the stage for a potentially turbulent period on our home planet.
Bengaluru, NFAPost: In a celestial spectacle not witnessed in over a decade, an expansive sunspot region, reminiscent of a formidable archipelago, has emerged on the sun’s nearside, posing a significant threat to Earth. Comprising at least six distinct sunspot groups, this cosmic phenomenon is triggering an onslaught of solar storms, intensifying concerns about potential impacts on our home star’s surface.
The initial appearance of the first sunspot group, designated AR3490, on November 18, marked the beginning of an extraordinary sequence of events. Its rapid succession was followed by AR3491, trailing closely behind on the sun’s northeastern shoulder, as reported by Spaceweather.com.
Scientific anticipation of these sunspot groups’ emergence was heightened by the tracking of “helioseismic tremors”—ripples on the sun’s surface indicating the impending solar disturbance. The sheer size of this sunspot region is so profound that it is altering the vibrational dynamics of the entire sun, a phenomenon noted by Spaceweather.com representatives.
As the sunspot groups dispersed, new dark patches, including AR3492, AR3495, AR3496, and AR3497, emerged, creating a colossal “solar archipelago,” stretching across approximately 125,000 miles (200,000 kilometres)—an expanse more than 15 times wider than Earth, according to Spaceweather.com.
In a mere four days since their appearance, these sunspots have unleashed at least 16 C-class and 3 M-class solar flares—events classified as the third and second strongest flare classes, respectively. Experts warn of a potential surge in such flares in the coming weeks, including the ominous possibility of X-class flares, the most potent solar eruptions.
The impending solar flares may give rise to coronal mass ejections (CMEs), massive clusters of charged solar particles capable of colliding with Earth and triggering powerful geomagnetic storms. The fallout from these storms could lead to radio blackouts and vibrant aurora displays.
Astronomers have also observed sizable loops of plasma, known as solar prominences, towering over some of the sunspots. These loops, exceeding 40,000 miles (64,000 km) in height, could detach and propel into space, leaving behind colossal “canyons of fire” on the sun’s surface.
Recent days have seen the emergence of at least three sunspot groups in the sun’s southern hemisphere, underscoring the sun’s rapid approach to the crescendo of its 11-year solar cycle—the solar maximum—predicted by scientists to commence next year.
As sunspots become more frequent and expand during the solar maximum, the current dark patches mark a notable milestone. Meteorologist and aurora photographer Chris Wicklund aptly describes this sunspot region as “probably the biggest” observed during the current solar cycle, hinting at an intriguing and potentially turbulent fortnight ahead.