don’t look now There is a big dot on the sun. Literally don’t look. It can cause permanent damage to your eyes.
Almost five times the diameter of Earth, sunspot AR3190 is a remarkable blob on the surface of our star. It is now so large that it can be seen whenever the sun is shining. But resist the temptation to gawk unless you have eclipse glasses or goggles, preferably certified by the International Organization for Standardization.(opens in new window) (ISO).
By the way, eclipse glasses tend to be expensive a few weeks before the eclipse, and with the eclipse coming on April 8th, it’s a good time to stock up on eclipse glasses.
So what’s going on with this giant black spot?
At the start of the current solar cycle — the solar ~11-year pattern is only partially understood.(opens in new window) Magnetic Phenomena — Astronomers Predicted(opens in new window) The peak year of solar activity, including sunspots, is predicted to be 2025. It’s still 2023, but it’s experiencing unusual levels of solar activity, including impressive eruptions of plasma.(opens in new window), and quite a few big spots—but none are as big as the AR3190.Such sunspots are unusual, but not unheard of(opens in new window).
Does this black spot pose any danger?
This sunspot probably poses no real danger, but it could well explode.
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When a sunspot of this size explodes, we can expect a release of energy called a solar flare. Astronomers expect AR3190 to produce the most intense type of “X-class” flare. X-class flares emit radio waves, X-rays, gamma rays, etc. into space at the speed of light. When the Earth is hit by a strong flare, not only can it produce beautiful aurora borealis in northern and southern latitudes, but it can also have positive consequences such as signal blackouts, satellite damage, and power grid disruptions.
Sunspot explosions can also be accompanied by coronal mass ejections (CMEs). This is the relatively slow ejection of particles from the Sun’s “corona” (essentially its atmosphere). CME also has the ability to create beautiful aurora borealis, jam communications and drain power.
But who knows if this will happen before the AR3190 rolls out of sight. This also reduces the likelihood that subsequent activity will cause problems on Earth.
