On March 28, scientists detected a massive solar flare that was strong enough to ionize part of Earth’s atmosphere. The flare was classified as an X1.1, which is considered one of the most powerful explosions that the sun can produce. NASA reports that this particular flare caused a deep shortwave radio blackout over the Pacific Ocean.
Following the flare, there was also an expulsion of plasma known as a Coronal Mass Ejection (CME), which luckily missed Earth. This recent solar event followed a “double” X-class flare that occurred on Monday, March 25, triggering the most powerful geomagnetic storm since 2018. Scientists now believe that the sun may have entered a period of peak explosive activity known as solar maximum, a year earlier than previously forecasted. The solar maximum is a part of the sun’s 11-year solar cycle and marks the peak of its activity.
