NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory has recently observed the largest solar flare in years, causing a two-hour disruption in radio communication on Earth. The massive flare, accompanied by a significant radio burst, occurred on Thursday, December 14th and impacted parts of the U.S. and other sunlit regions globally. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), this event marked the most substantial flare since 2017, with the radio burst affecting even higher frequencies. The disturbance led to widespread communication disruptions reported by pilots across the country.
The Solar Dynamics Observatory, launched in 2010, captured the solar eruption in extreme ultraviolet light, revealing a powerful surge of energy as a bright flash. Scientists at NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center are closely monitoring the sunspot region, investigating the potential for a coronal mass ejection—an outburst of plasma from the sun—directed at Earth. Such an occurrence could result in a geomagnetic storm, disrupting high-frequency radio signals and potentially causing northern lights, or auroras, in the coming days. As the sun approaches the peak of its approximately 11-year solar cycle, with maximum sunspot activity predicted for 2025, scientists are vigilant for further solar events and their potential impacts on Earth’s communications and geomagnetic activity.
