June 9th might be a day of unusual cosmic activity, with the biggest solar flare ever recorded having spurted from the Sun's surface on June 7th.
According to NASA's reports, cooled plasma erupted from sunspots 1226 and 1227 in a mushroom, and most of it fell back on what appeared to be half of the total solar surface.
A solar flare - a sudden burst of magnetic energy from the Sun's surface, associated with sunspots - was recorded by a satellite named Solar Dynamics Observatory.
The magnetic energy of the Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) that comprises protons and electrons currently poses a threat to the planet's communication systems.
NASA's observations reveal that the solar flare's trajectory is in the general direction of the Earth's position in space, and that the magetic spurt may graze the Earth's environs - an event that will cause power grid and satellite disturbances.
The CME is reportedly travelling through space at the speed of 1,400 km/sec.
Besides, spectacular auroral displays are expected to grace the night skies, especially in North America.
With this event comes to the forefront the issue of the Sun's current 11-year cycle of activity peaking in 2013 - the magnertic orientation of the Sun is expected to reverse then. Scientists predict extreme solar flares every couple of months during this phase.
Scientists warn that the world must be prepared to face the brunt of the effects of the solar activity. Solar flares, in the past, have crippled communication systems - telegraph lines burst into flames and electric lines were fused due to voltage surges.
filed in:Solar Activity, NASA, Satellites, Communication Systems, Science & Technology