Nine dangerous Earth-facing sunspots detected; highest in 3 years
As many as nine sunspots, the highest in the past three years, have been spotted on the Earth-facing side of the Sun. This means that nine different magnetic field regions on the star could be unstable and might explode anytime, sending solar storms toward Earth. The impact could be far worse if all the regions erupted at the same time.
Why does this story matter?
The Sun has the most sunspots during the solar maximum or the middle of the solar cycle. The ongoing 25th solar cycle which started in 2019 is expected to peak in 2023 and the recent increase in the number of sunspots testify to this fact. During this phase, eruptions such as solar flares and coronal mass ejections, also become frequent.
There is a chance of a G5-class solar storm
The increased number of sunspots gives rise to the possibility of a G5-class solar storm striking the Earth. The magnetic charge carried by this particular class of solar storm can potentially disrupt wireless communication systems such as GPS and mobile communication networks, and can permanently damage satellites. Recently, solar flares arising from AR3110 causes distortions in communication systems in the US.
The previous solar cycle peaked around April 2014
A recent study published in the Astrophysical Journal revealed that cosmic rays around Mars, Venus, and Earth reduced during the peak of the previous, 24th, solar cycle. Researchers discovered that the presence of these rays, which are highly energetic particles traveling through space at nearly the speed of light, declined across all three planets as the solar cycle peaked around April 2014.
Should you be worried?
According to spaceweather.com, all nine sunspots show stable magnetic fields as of now, which eliminates the risk of an immediate solar storm. However, the magnetic polarity on the sunspots is highly volatile and is subject to change.
