Northern Lights in UK 'not done yet' as Sun ejects massive flare

The sun isn't finished with us yet, as it has unleashed its most powerful flare in nearly a decade, just days after solar storms caused the Northern Lights to appear in unusual locations. "Not done yet! " was the message from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) following the event.

People shared pictures from across Coventry and Warwickshire when the Northern Lights were spotted across the UK last weekend.

This flare is considered the largest of the current 11-year solar cycle, which is nearing its maximum activity phase, NOAA experts have indicated. Fortunately, Earth is expected to dodge any direct impacts this time around, as the flare occurred on a section of the sun that's rotating away from our planet.

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NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory caught the intense X-ray flare, which has been classified as an X8.7 eventthe most significant since 2005. Bryan Brasher from NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Centre in Boulder, Colorado, suggested that further analysis might reveal the flare to be even more potent than initial measurements suggest.

This latest solar outburst follows a series of flares and coronal mass ejections over the past week, which posed threats of disruption to power grids and communication systems both on Earth and in space. NASA reported that one of its environmental satellites began spinning unexpectedly due to the geomagnetic storm, causing it to enter a precautionary 'safe mode'.

Meanwhile, astronauts aboard the International Space Station were instructed to remain in areas with substantial radiation protection. Despite the heightened solar activity, NASA assured that the crew was never at risk, reports Wales Online.

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