Watch: X-Class Solar Flare Erupt On Sun's Surface Causing Radio Blackout In Africa

The sun released an X-class solar flare, triggering radio blackouts in southern Africa. Accompanying the flare was a CME, which may cause only mild geomagnetic disturbances on Earth by December 11.

The sun continues its hurling out solar flares. On Sunday, it hurled out an X-class solar flare, the strongest type of solar flare, signalling its dynamic nature. The dramatic eruption originated from sunspot region 3912, peaking at 4:06 AM. EST (0906 GMT) on December 8. Accompanying the flare was a coronal mass ejection (CME), a massive outpouring of magnetic fields and plasma from the sun's atmosphere, reported space.com.

While CMEs, also known as solar storms, can cause geomagnetic disturbances and spark vibrant auroras when they interact with Earth's magnetosphere, experts predict only mild effects from this event. According to Space Weather physicist Tamitha Skov, Earth may experience a glancing blow from the CME.

“The solar storm launched will graze Earth to the west. Sadly, the coming fast solar wind streams might deflect the structure even further to the west. Expect only mild impacts by midday December 11,” Skov shared in a post on X.

What Are Solar Flares?

Solar flares are intense bursts of energy from the sun’s surface, releasing powerful electromagnetic radiation. They are classified into five categories — A, B, C, M, and X — with each step representing a tenfold increase in strength. A-class flares are the weakest and often unnoticed on Earth, while X-class flares are the most powerful, capable of disrupting satellites and causing radio blackouts. Each class is further detailed with a numerical scale (e.g., X1, X2, X10) to indicate the flare's energy level.

Impacts Of Recent Flare

The X-class flare triggered shortwave radio blackouts over southern Africa, the sunlit region at the time of the eruption, the space.com report stated. Such disruptions, typical during significant solar events, are caused by intense X-rays and extreme ultraviolet radiation emitted during the flare.

Radiation from solar flares reaches Earth at the speed of light, ionizing the upper layers of the atmosphere upon arrival. This ionization thickens the atmosphere, interfering with high-frequency shortwave radio signals used for long-distance communication. As these signals pass through the ionized layers, they lose energy due to frequent collisions with electrons, leading to weakened or fully absorbed transmissions.

This recent event serves as a reminder of the sun’s capacity for sudden and dramatic activity, keeping scientists and space weather enthusiasts on alert for potential impacts.