Scientists record strong solar flare on August 7

A powerful solar flare of the penultimate intensity class (M) was recorded on the Sun on August 7, according to the Institute of Applied Geophysics (IPG), Report informs via TASS.

“At 05:32 Moscow time on August 7, an M2.2-class flare was observed in the X-ray range from sunspot group 4168 (N04W29), lasting approximately 25 minutes,” the institute stated.

This marks the seventh M-class flare recorded in August, with nearly all originating from the same sunspot group.

Solar flares are categorized into five classes based on their X-ray intensity: A, B, C, M, and X — with class A0.0 representing the lowest intensity of 10 nanowatts per square meter in Earth’s orbit. Each successive class signifies a tenfold increase in radiation strength.

Such flares can be accompanied by coronal mass ejections (CMEs), where clouds of solar plasma may reach Earth and trigger geomagnetic storms.