An image of the Sun showing sunspots (black splotches). The image was taken by the SOHO satellite on August 28, 2001. The largest sunspot seen is sunspot 9591 (towards bottom-center of image). There is a good chance that this sunspot will produce a solar flare in the next day or two!
Click on image for full size
Courtesy of SOHO/MDI
Solar Flares!
News story originally written on August 28, 2001
Have you ever had trouble getting in your favorite
radio station? My friend couldn't get in his favorite stations yesterday. It turns out that a big solar flare
burst from the Sun on Saturday. It caused
radio blackouts. Some blackouts lasted more than an hour!
Scientists are thinking that there may be another solar flare in the next day or two! This flare could cause aurora and of course loss of radio reception that my friend and you have possibly noted! Stay tuned to Spaceweather.com for the latest information on possible flares. And next time you can't get your favorite radio station in, think about the fact that the Sun might be up to something even though it is 93 million miles away!
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