A giant dark spot known as a coronal hole has emerged on the Sun. Now this rupture is aimed directly at Earth, spewing powerful streams of unusually fast radiation across our planet, known as the cosmic wind. This was reported by portal Spaceweather.com.
The coronal hole that formed on December 2 reached a maximum width of 800 thousand kilometers within 24 hours, that is, more than 60 times the diameter of the Earth. According to scientists, the size of this gap is unprecedented at this stage of the solar cycle.
It was initially assumed that the appearance of a dark spot would cause a moderate geomagnetic storm on Earth, which could lead to disruption of radio communications. However, the cosmic wind turned out to be less intense, although its passage was accompanied by auroras at high latitudes.
Coronal holes occur when there is a change in the Sun’s magnetic fields, causing some of the star’s material to be transported into space. They appear as dark spots because these areas are cooler and less dense than the surrounding plasma.
Solar activity increases throughout the year as our star approaches the explosive peak of its 11-year cycle. However, coronal holes can occur at any time during the cycle. In addition, although it is usually seen at the poles of the star, the fact that a new hole has opened near the equator surprises scientists.
Earlier astronomers EstablishedThe peak of solar activity is predicted to occur in early 2024.