Washington: A giant sunspot on the Sun has raised the concern of scientists. NASA scientists are closely monitoring this sunspot. This is because the face of this sunspot is directed towards the earth. Scientists are also concerned about its size because it is growing rapidly. The sunspot has doubled its diameter in the last 24 hours. The name of this sunspot is AR3038. Due to the presence of this sunspot directly towards the earth, it can send solar flares toward us.
According to a Space Weather report, from Sunday to Monday night, the sunspot increased to three times the size of the Earth. The size of the sunspot increased from 31865 km to 51338 km. Scientists are concerned about its increasing size because the radiation emitted from it can damage GPS systems and radio networks on Earth. However, no warning of any kind of solar flare has been issued so far.
What is Sunspot?
A sunspot is a dark area present in the Sun. Sunspots can last from a few hours to a few months. Not all sunspots cause solar flares, but when it does, it gets attached to the earth and has an effect on the earth as well.
What is Solar Flare?
When the Sun’s magnetic energy is released, solar flares are formed from the light and particles emitted from it. According to reports, these flares are the most powerful explosions ever in our Solar System. These solar flares release energy comparable to billions of hydrogen bombs.
Are sunspots a concern?
Even though the sunspot is doubling in size, its increasing size is not a cause for concern. According to Space Weather, if any flare emerges from this sunspot, then it will be M-class i.e. medium. According to the European Space Agency, there will be no major damage on Earth due to the M-class flare, although its occurrence can lead to a radio blackout. Scientists say that a large solar storm can also cause some problems in the Earth’s magnetic field, which can cause many birds to forget their way.
