Officials at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), in Greenbelt, Maryland, announce that the Sun released a new, medium-intensity solar flare on Saturday, July 28. The event does not pose a significant threat to the planet, but some effects could become visible.
The NASA Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) was on station to observe the solar flare, at a wavelength of 131 Angstrom. The event originated in an active region of the Sun, called AR 1532.
According to SDO measurements, the M6.2-class flare peaked at around 4:55 pm EDT (2055 GMT).
M-class flares are able to cause some localized damage on Earth, especially at the poles. The high amount of energetic particles they send towards Earth can cause communications blackouts, and affect power grids at high latitudes.
The new flare is part of the Sun's usual 11-year cycle, which is bound to reach its period maximum in 2013.
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