Giant Sunspot Region Is Directly Facing Earth - 30% Chance of Another X-Flare this Weekend

Giant sunspot AR3590 is directly facing Earth. The active region has an unstable magnetic field that harbors energy for the strongest explosions. Magnetic maps from NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory show what makes the sunspot so dangerous. Most sunspots have a simple magnetic field with only two poles: (plus) and - (minus). Sunspot AR3590 is more like a layer cake with a whole stack of pluses and minuses. Opposite magnetic polarities pressed together in this way can lead to explosive magnetic reconnection--the mechanism behind solar flares. Indeed, only two days ago AR3590 unleashed the strongest solar flare of Solar Cycle 25 (X6.3). NOAA forecasters say there is a 30% chance of another X-flare this weekend. If it happens, the flare will be geoeffective because the sunspot is directly facing Earth. The region produced seven M-class flares over the past 24 hours, the largest of which was an M4.5 at 24/06:34 UTC. A stream of solar wind flowing from a southern coronal hole could hit Earth on Feb. 26-27. Coronal holes are openings in the Sun’s magnetic field where streams of high-speed solar wind rush out of the solar atmosphere. The plasma in these coronal hole regions is cooler and more dense than in other parts of the corona. Coronal holes appear dark in X-ray and ultraviolet images of the Sun, but they are invisible to the eye. Thanks for watching! #giantsunspot #Xflare #CME Images credit: AIA/SDO/HMI, nemesis maturity channel Music credit: YouTube Audio Library