Giant sunspot shoots out intense, X-class solar flare

[NASA]

A massive sunspot region facing Earth - known as 1520 - has unleashed a large solar flare. NOAAÕs Space Weather Prediction Center says the flare is rated an X1.4. This type of flare is considered ÒstrongÓ and can cause a blackout of high frequency radio communication on the sunlit side of Earth for one to two hours.





More... (http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/capital-weather-gang/post/giant-sunspot-shoots-out-intense-x-class-solar-flare/2012/07/12/gJQAKpDtfW_blog.html)

[TargeT]

same x1.4 as the one a few days ago? hmmm, this sunspot doesn't like us.

[Bill Ryan]

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I just checked with http://spaceweather.com (http://spaceweather.com).

Nothing there about this. I'm sure it must have been a repeated report from last week... presumably a bug in their auto-reporting system.

[Sidney]

When you click the link its obvious this is the X flare from 5 days ago. LOL I guess Nasa reporting system has the hiccups. :p

[Rocky_Shorz]

well a massive one just popped, but it was after swinging away from direct hit zone...

http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/data/LATEST/current_c2small.gif

what is the light in the top right on the 15th, comet or Satellite?

[Rocky_Shorz]

M class info just appeared on Spaceweather.com


SLOW EXPLOSION: Sunspot complex AR1520-1521 erupted on July 17th at 1715 UT. The M1-class explosion unfolded slowly over a period of hours. Slow explosions often produce CMEs, and this one was no exception; SOHO recorded the bright and massive cloud: movie. This CME is not heading for Earth.