DON’T PANIC: Some rumors spreading across the internet claim that the from SpaceWeather.com<\/a><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" One of the most powerful solar flares in years erupted from giant sunspot 486 this morning at approximately 1110 UT. The blast measured X17 on the Richter scale of solar flares . As a result of the explosion, a strong … Continue reading ![](\"http:\/\/cyber.law.harvard.edu\/blogs\/static\/dowbrigade\/fflare.jpg\")
\n <\/em>One of the most powerful solar flares in years erupted from giant
\n sunspot 486 this morning at approximately 1110 UT. The blast measured X17
\n on the
\n Richter scale of solar flares<\/a> . As a result of the explosion, a
\n strong S3-class solar radiation storm is underway. Click
\n here<\/a> to learn
\n how such storms can affect our planet. The explosion also hurled a coronal
\n mass ejection (CME) toward Earth. When it left the sun, the cloud was traveling
\n 2125 km\/s (almost 5 million mph). This CME could trigger bright auroras
\n when it sweeps past our planet perhaps as early as tonight. <\/p>\n
\n ongoing solar storm could wreak terrible havoc on Earth. Not so. There
\n is a slim chance of power blackouts and communication outages, but the
\n main side effect of this solar activity will be harmless and beautiful
\n auroras <\/p>\n