US space agency NASA is closely monitoring a gigantic Earth-facing sunspot called AR3038 which has doubled in size in the last 24 hours. The sunspot, which is nearly triple the size of the Earth, can send out solar flares that may damage navigation systems and radio communication networks.
Sunspots are dark areas on the surface of the Sun that are colder than other parts, and can emit intense bursts of radiation. These spots are colder than the other parts as they develop in places with extremely powerful magnetic fields that prevent the heat from touching their surface. This gives sunspots a black-coloured appearance.
According to NASA, solar flares from sunspots are "a sudden explosion of energy” that happens when magnetic field lines near sunspots get tangled, cross or reorganised.
If the sunspot blasts, it will send out a coronal mass ejection, or CME, of charged particles toward Earth. When those particles interact with the planet’s magnetic field, they will create colourful lights in the atmosphere called auroras.
As of now, the Space Weather Prediction Center of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which observes solar flares and other outbursts, has not issued any warning about auroras, space.com reported.
According to experts, such sunspots are far from unusual.
ALSO READ: NASA’s Perseverance rover finds shiny foil piece on Mars, scientists explain what it is
Active Region 3038, or AR3038, has been growing over the past week, USA Today quoted Rob Steenburgh, acting lead of the NOAA’s Space Weather Forecast Office, as saying. According to him the sunspot's size and growth rate are fairly normal.
For the past three days, the AR3038 has doubled in size each day and is, at present, about 2.5 times the size of Earth, C. Alex Young from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, told USA Today
“This is what sunspots do. Over time, generally, they'll grow. They go through stages, and then they decay,” Steenburgh said.
People need not worry as solar flares from the AR3038 will not reach the Earth.
ALSO READ: NASA's Curiosity rover finds a mysterious doorway on Mars, spark speculations
Sunspots are dark areas on the surface of the Sun that are colder than other parts, and can emit intense bursts of radiation. These spots are colder than the other parts as they develop in places with extremely powerful magnetic fields that prevent the heat from touching their surface. This gives sunspots a black-coloured appearance.
According to NASA, solar flares from sunspots are "a sudden explosion of energy” that happens when magnetic field lines near sunspots get tangled, cross or reorganised.
If the sunspot blasts, it will send out a coronal mass ejection, or CME, of charged particles toward Earth. When those particles interact with the planet’s magnetic field, they will create colourful lights in the atmosphere called auroras.
As of now, the Space Weather Prediction Center of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which observes solar flares and other outbursts, has not issued any warning about auroras, space.com reported.
According to experts, such sunspots are far from unusual.
ALSO READ: NASA’s Perseverance rover finds shiny foil piece on Mars, scientists explain what it is
Active Region 3038, or AR3038, has been growing over the past week, USA Today quoted Rob Steenburgh, acting lead of the NOAA’s Space Weather Forecast Office, as saying. According to him the sunspot's size and growth rate are fairly normal.
For the past three days, the AR3038 has doubled in size each day and is, at present, about 2.5 times the size of Earth, C. Alex Young from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, told USA Today
“This is what sunspots do. Over time, generally, they'll grow. They go through stages, and then they decay,” Steenburgh said.
People need not worry as solar flares from the AR3038 will not reach the Earth.
ALSO READ: NASA's Curiosity rover finds a mysterious doorway on Mars, spark speculations
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