A powerful flare has occurred on the Sun. will it cause a magnetic storm?

Today, at 11:05 a.m. Yerevan time, a powerful class X solar burst occurred on the Sun, reports the Laboratory of Solar Astronomy of the Institute of Space Research and the Institute of Applied Geophysics of the Russian Federation.

A similar solar burst on May 10-12 produced a powerful G5 magnetic storm. Today's event can also cause a magnetic storm, scientists note, adding, however, that it is still too early to talk about its possible impact on Earth.

Scientists assume that the flare occurred on the far side of the Sun. According to them, the center of the flare is located far from the Sun-Earth line.

Scientists also noted that if the region №3664 on the Sun, which has preserved its energy, really changes its position towards the Earth, then new flares are expected in the next weekend. "About June 1, our planet will appear in the area of distribution of flammable particles and plasma clouds," the Laboratory explained.

In 2024, the number of solar flares has increased. Scientists attribute this to the 11-year solar cycle, which is approaching its maximum. Solar flares are classified into five power levels, from A to X, with each subsequent category being 10 times greater than the previous one. Higher X-class flares are often accompanied by outflows of solar plasma that can cause magnetic storms by the time they reach Earth.