Space weather: solar flare on Sun sparks pretty auroras and radio blackouts on Earth

 Kristin Berg on December 22, 2014, Tromsø, Norway, via spaceweathergallery.com


Kristin Berg on December 22, 2014, Tromsø, Norway, via spaceweathergallery.com

Since releasing an X-class solar flare late last week, our sun has been very active. The most recent burst triggered some radio blackouts and stunning aurora displays here on Earth. Some of these were even visible from the northernmost part of the lower 48 US states. According to spaceweather.com, last Friday's X1.8 solar flare rattled low-frequency radio comms for a few hour in some areas of the Southern Hemisphere. At spaceweathergallery.com, some lovely images of the night sky displays that result from this sort of solar activity. [via washingtonpost.com]