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MOSCOW, March 23. A large flare occurred on the Sun, according to some data, there could be two of them, there is a high risk of magnetic storms on Earth, reported the laboratory of solar astronomy of the Institute of Space Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
«Flash of the highest score X, the first in the current month , was registered on the Sun early this morning Moscow time. The event began at 5 a.m. As of 07:20 a.m., flares continued to be observed,» the report says.
It is noted that, according to preliminary data, the explosion on the Sun occurred almost exactly on the Sun-Earth line, that is, in the area of maximum impact on the planet, and accompanied by a large ejection of plasma masses towards the Earth. The flash is rated X1.1.
At the same time, the laboratory clarified that so far there are conflicting data about the exact location of the event. There are signs that not one, but two simultaneous explosions occurred on the Sun in areas separated from each other by a distance of about half a million kilometers.
«In the coming hours, a sharp change in the radiation state of near-Earth space is expected, including the possible arrival of heavy particles from the Sun affecting spacecraft. Plasma clouds, which have the greatest impact on the Earth's magnetic field and cause, among other things, magnetic storms, depending on the speed, will approach the Earth's orbit late on Sunday evening or in the morning of Monday,» they added scientists.
It is expected that clarifications on the strength, location and expected degree of impact of the event on Earth will be issued within today's day, after the receipt of new data from observational means.