NASA’s telescope has observed the most significant solar flare in years, causing a temporary disruption in radio communication on Earth. The sun emitted a massive flare and a substantial radio burst on Thursday, leading to two hours of radio interference in parts of the U.S. and other sunlit regions. According to scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), it is the most substantial flare since 2017, and the radio burst affected even higher frequencies, resulting in one of the largest solar radio events ever recorded. The disruption impacted communication for multiple pilots across the country. Scientists are now closely monitoring the sunspot region for a potential coronal mass ejection, which could lead to a geomagnetic storm, disrupting high-frequency radio signals and triggering northern lights in the coming days. The eruption occurred in the far northwest section of the sun, captured by NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory in extreme ultraviolet light. The sun is approaching the peak of its 11-year solar cycle, with maximum sunspot activity predicted for 2025.
