A series of solar storms — flares erupting from a giant sunspot — triggered a temporary radio blackout on Friday afternoon, October 24. According to the U.S. Space Weather Prediction Center, “This is the fourth substantial flare from this active region since Oct. 19.”
Solar flares are the most powerful eruptions on the sun. While harmful radiation from a flare cannot pass through Earth’s atmosphere to physically affect humans on the ground, when aimed at Earth, the flares can interfere with navigation, radio and communications signals.
