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Monday, November 7, 2011

Caught on camera: Things are hotting up as Nasa captures huge solar flare and coronal mass ejection on the same day

An enormous solar flare that erupted from the sun on Thursday has been classed an X1.9 flare - making it one of the largest storms our star can produce.

The solar flare came from a giant sunspot that was sighted earlier this week, itself one of the largest seen in years.

Experts at Nasa knew to expect big things from the sunspot, but the sheer magnitude of the flare left them in awe.

Sun storm: This image, provided by NASA, shows giant sun spot activity on Thursday, from a region on the sun that scientists are variously calling AR11339 and the 'benevolent monster'

Sun storm: This image, provided by NASA, shows giant sun spot activity on Thursday, from a region on the sun that scientists are variously calling AR11339 and the 'benevolent monster'

The flare was so powerful that it disrupted communications systems on earth around 45 minutes later.

The event began at 8.27pm GMT, and Nasa officials said in a statement that it 'triggered some disruption to radio communications on Earth'.

Nasa added: 'Scientists are continuing to watch this active region as it could well produce additional solar activity as it passes across the front of the sun.'

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2058667/Sunspot-solar-flare-Things-hotting-footage-shows-huge-flare-coronal-mass-ejection.html

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