On Friday, the Sun unleashed a very strong solar flare, specifically called an "X-class" flare. Let's break down what this means in simpler terms.
The Sun released an extremely powerful burst of energy, known as a solar flare, reaching its peak at 10:30 PM IST on Thursday. Scientists classified this flare as an X2.8 flare, making it the most potent one observed since 2017.
Solar flares occur when the Sun's strong magnetic fields interact and "reconnect." Scientists categorize these flares based on their strength, using the classes B, C, M, and X, with X being the most powerful. Think of it like the Richter scale for earthquakes – each step up on the scale represents a ten-times increase in energy output. So, an X-class flare is a big deal in terms of the energy the Sun releases during these events.
