A giant solar eruption is going to reach Earth. A large sunspot on Tuesday appeared on the Sun emitting a jet, called flare, right in the direction of our planet
where its effects will be felt tomorrow. The spot, called AR1944, has produced an X-class flare of the highest on a scale of 5 power classes, compiled American
federal agency NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) and produce the aurora borealis visible at high latitudes. Its effects, however, will not only be spectacular.
The NOAA, in fact, estimate a 60% probability that these flares will create polar geomagnetic storms that can endanger the operation of the power lines. A short circuit will also be risking too artificial satellites, traveling in space, they will have less protection from the Earth's magnetic field. The flare was observed right from the American satellite Soho which has the task of monitoring these emissions of highly energetic solar particles. Our star is currently in a period of high activity and AR1944 is one of the largest sunspots in the last ten years and its active region is broad more than 200,000 kilometers. The NOAA provides with a 80% probability that there will be other today flares of class M, the third on the scale, and 50% of additional class flare X.
http://www.ansa.it/web/notizie/specializzati/scienza/2014/01/08/Potenti-brillamenti-emessi-Sole-_9864784.html
