Solar flare danger! Growing sunspot could spark a solar storm today, reveals NASA | Tech News

Solar flare danger! Growing sunspot could spark a solar storm today, reveals NASA

Solar storm today: NASA, with the help of its Solar Dynamics Observatory, has now revealed a growing sunspot that could hurl out a solar flare and spark a solar storm today. Know all about it.

By: HT TECH
| Updated on: Jan 10 2024, 14:27 IST
ISRO launches maiden X-Ray Satellite, XPoSat; set to unveil celestial secrets including of black holes, Magnatars, more
Solar storm
1/8 On January 1, 2024, ISRO successfully launched its maiden X-Ray Polarimeter Satellite, XPoSat, using the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) in the C58 mission - PSLV-C58. (ISRO)
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2/8 The XPoSat launch took place at Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, with the rocket lifting off at 9.10 am, placing XPoSat into a 650 km Low Earth Orbit. (ISRO)
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3/8 XPoSat aims to study the polarization of intense X-ray sources in space, marking ISRO's first dedicated scientific satellite for space-based X-ray polarization measurements. From black holes to Magnetars, XPoSat will study various mysterious objectives in space  (ISRO)
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4/8 ISRO Chairman S Somanath announced the successful placement of XPoSat in the desired orbit and provided details on the achieved orbit, showcasing deviations of only 3km in the circular 650 km orbit. (ISRO)
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5/8 The XPoSat satellite's primary payload includes POLIX (Polarimeter Instrument in X-Rays) and XSPECT (X-ray Spectroscopy and Timing), designed by Raman Research Institute and U R Rao Satellite Centre, Bengaluru, respectively. (ISRO)
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6/8 The mission life of XPoSat is estimated to be around five years, and the solar panel deployment was successful, according to S Somanath. (ISRO)
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7/8 Mission Director Jayakumar M highlighted the significance of the 60th PSLV launch, emphasizing the demonstration of new technologies in the POEM 3 experiment, including fuel cells, silicon-based high-energy batteries, and an amateur radio satellite service. (ISRO)
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8/8 Notably, the mission showcased women empowerment in the field of science and technology, featuring a women-engineered satellite among its payloads. The success was attributed to the collaborative efforts of ISRO teams and other stakeholders. (ISRO)
Solar storm
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A solar storm could be on the cards today, NASA has revealed. Know more. (Pixabay)

Solar storm today: Solar activity has been on a dangerous rise in the last few months, and we've already seen various solar phenomena impact Earth. In the last month, there were two instances of terrifying X-class solar flares hitting the planet, one of which caused a radio blackout in the polar regions for almost 3 days. The Sun has been showing all its might for the past couple of months and as we approach the solar maximum that will likely occur in 2024-25, its wrath is only expected to increase. NASA has now revealed a growing sunspot that could hurl out a solar flare and spark a solar storm. Check details.

Solar storm today

According to the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), as many as 11 sunspots have been spotted on the surface of the Sun. All of these sunspots are crackling with minor C-class solar flares. However, sunspot AR3546 has been discovered as the most unstable, and it poses the greatest threat of a most significant solar flare.

The SpaceWeather report states, “There are 11 sunspot groups on the solar disk, and almost all of them are crackling with minor C-class solar flares. Fast-growing sunspot AR3546 appears to be the least stable, and thus the greatest threat for a more significant flare.”

The solar flare was discovered using NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory. If it impacts, a solar storm could be on the cards soon.

About the NASA Solar Dynamics Observatory

The NASA Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) uses three very crucial instruments to collect data from various solar activities. They include the Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI) which takes high-resolution measurements of the longitudinal and vector magnetic field over the entire visible solar disk, Extreme Ultraviolet Variability Experiment (EVE) which measures the Sun's extreme ultraviolet irradiance, and Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) which provides continuous full-disk observations of the solar chromosphere and corona in seven extreme ultraviolet (EUV) channels.

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First Published Date: 10 Jan, 14:27 IST
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