A hyperactive sunspot just hurled a huge X-class solar flare into space

A sunspot threw out a big flare.

According to SpaceWeather.com, a powerful X-class flare sent out by the sun has caused a temporary interruption in short wave radio signals in the Americas. AR2975 burped more than 17 moderate-sized flares in recent days, but this outburst is a bit more powerful.

The website reported Wednesday (March 30) that amateur radio operators may have seen unusual propagation effects at frequencies below 30 MHz.

Earth braces for a solar storm.

Solar flares are ranked by category, A-class are weakest, B-, C-, and M-class, with X-class the strongest, and then by size. According to SpaceWeather, the Wednesday flare was an X1.3-class flare.

Flares can be related to the shooting of charged particles out into space. The stunning light shows caused by charged particles hitting Earth's atmosphere could be caused by a coronal mass ejection. There is circumstantial evidence that a CME is emerging from the sun, but more observations are needed to confirm that.

SpaceWeather noted that the U.S. Air Force has detected a type II solar radio burst that can be associated with a CME.

SpaceWeather said that NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory has imaged a solar tsunami, apparently generated by a CME leaving the sun's atmosphere.

The event was caught by SDO at 1:35 p.m. NASA did not provide a detailed forecast beyond pointing to generic risks that may happen with solar flares.

Flares and solar eruptions can impact radio communications, electric power grids, navigation signals, and pose risks to astronauts, according to a statement from NASA.

The peak of the sun's current cycle of solar activity is expected to be around 25 years from now. The forecast is for fewer sunspots than usual, but scientists are not sure how active this solar cycle will be.

NASA and other space agencies keep an eye on the sun. The charged particles hit the magnetic lines of Earth and cause the Auroras. Satellites or power lines may be affected by more powerful storms.

Follow Elizabeth on social media. Follow us on social media.