A Giant Spot Has Appeared on the Sun, Similar to the 'Carrington Event' 0 21

The publication reminded that the geomagnetic storm of 1859, also known as the 'Carrington Event', is the most powerful in the history of geomagnetic storm observations. It caused telegraph systems to fail across Europe and North America.

Sunspots can trigger powerful bursts of radiation, or solar flares, when their invisible magnetic field lines become distorted and break, releasing energy into space. These explosive emissions can cause temporary radio disruptions on Earth and launch huge, rapidly moving clouds of plasma, or coronal mass ejections.

What is Known About the New Sunspot Complex

The complex, named AR 4294-4296, consists of two different groups of sunspots, AR 4294 and AR 4296, which are magnetically intertwined. Scientists first noticed it on November 28 when it turned towards the Earth.

Representatives from Spaceweather.com previously reported that the sunspot complex AR 4294-4296 is 'one of the largest groups of sunspots in the last 10 years.' It could trigger extremely powerful X-class flares - the most powerful according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration classification.

Could AR 4294-4296 Repeat the 'Carrington Event'

Scientists have predicted that if the 'Carrington Event' were to occur today, it would disable all satellites in orbit around our planet. It would also lead to chaos on Earth, potentially damaging parts of the electrical grid, with total damages easily exceeding $1 trillion.

However, scientists noted that achieving maximum explosive potential from a sunspot also depends on the configuration of its magnetic field and the frequency of eruptions. This means that some giant sunspots can be completely harmless.

This complex has already triggered a potential X-class flare while still on the far side of the Sun. However, despite this, experts say there are no clear signs of a superstorm comparable to the 'Carrington Event' in the near future.