The sun can have very strong bursts of radiation called “superflares” that happen about once every century. These superflares might come with particle storms that can harm electronics on Earth. The last big solar storm was 165 years ago, and we might be due for another one soon. But we aren’t sure if the sun acts like other stars that have these superflares.
Scientists started keeping track of the sun’s activity in the middle of the 20th century, but we know that in 1859, there was a huge solar flare followed by a coronal mass ejection. This caused a geomagnetic storm on Earth known as the Carrington event. If this happened today, it could cause big problems with communication systems and power.
Recent research suggests that sun-like stars have superflares more often than we thought. These superflares are much bigger than what our sun typically produces. Scientists are still trying to understand why some stars have these superflares and if the sun could have them too.
Vocabulary List:
- Superflares /ˈsuː.pɚ.flɛrz/ (noun): Very strong bursts of radiation emitted by the sun or other stars.
- Radiation /ˌreɪ.diˈeɪ.ʃən/ (noun): Energy emitted in the form of waves or particles.
- Coronal /kəˈroʊ.nəl/ (adjective): Relating to the outermost part of the sun’s atmosphere.
- Ejection /iˈdʒɛkʃən/ (noun): The act of throwing out or forcing out.
- Geomagnetic /ˌdʒi.oʊ.məɡˈnɛtɪk/ (adjective): Relating to the Earth’s magnetic field.
- Communication /kəˌmjunɪˈkeɪʃən/ (noun): The act of exchanging information or news.
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