Strong Solar Flare

Sunspot AR3663 erupted this morning, May 5th @ 06:01 UT, producing an solar flare. NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory captured the extreme ultraviolet flash. Radiation from the flare ionized the top of Earth’s atmosphere and caused a deep shortwave radio blackout over Australia, SE Asia, China, India, Indian Ocean, West Russia, Siberia and Middle East. Ham radio operators may have noticed loss of signal below 30 MHz for a half an hour after the flare’s peak. Sunspot AR3663 is crackling with solar flares, including multiple X and near-X flares in the past 48 hours. Each of these flares has created a brief but deep radio blackout on Earth, causing loss of signals below 30 MHz. These are events easily noticed by ham radio operators, aviators and mariners using shortwave to communicate. The flares are expected to continue. AR3663 has a ’beta-gamma-delta’ magnetic field where mixed polarities are bumping together in explosive proximity. NOAA forecasters await fresh data from SOHO coronagraphs to confirm any associated CME with the X1.3 flare. #Xflare #CME #solarstorm Images credit: NOAA/SWPC, AIA/SDO, nemesis maturity channel Music credit: YouTube Audio Library