Sun produces another M1.6-class flare

A M1.6-class solar flare was recorded on Friday, August 21, according to the Institute of Applied Geophysics, as solar activity remains elevated.

The flare was detected in the X-ray range at 1:50 p.m. GMT+4, the institute said in a statement to Russia’s TASS news agency.

M-class flares are considered moderate solar eruptions and are the second-highest category in the standard five-level classification system, below the most powerful X-class events.

The latest flare follows a stronger M1.88-class eruption recorded on August 20, which the institute identified as the most powerful solar flare observed since the beginning of August.

Solar flares are bursts of radiation released by the Sun. Stronger events can disrupt radio communications, satellite operations and other space-based systems, while the most powerful eruptions can contribute to geomagnetic storms on Earth.

By Sabina Mammadli