Powerful solar flare hits Earth, causes radio blackout over parts of Asia
When the upper atmosphere of Earth became ionised by a massive solar explosion, shortwave radio transmissions were severely disrupted throughout most of southeast Asia, Australia, and New Zealand. Sunspot AR3256, located close to the star's southwestern limb, was the source of the flare.
Sun-watching Nasa satellite Solar Dynamics Observatory caught the outburst on camera. The X1.2 classification was assigned to this flare. The most powerful flares, designated as X-class, are further characterised by their…