This morning, August 5, the sun emitted two powerful X-class solar flares. The first flare, an X1.7, originated from sunspot AR3767 and peaked at 9:40 a.m. EDT (1340 GMT).

Less than two hours later, sunspot AR3780 released an X1.1 flare, peaking at 11:27 a.m. EDT (1527 GMT).

X-class flares are the strongest type of solar flares and are often accompanied by coronal mass ejections (CMEs), which can trigger geomagnetic storms upon reaching Earth, Space.com has reported.

These storms can disrupt power grids but also enhance auroras, making them more intense and visible at lower latitudes.

Written by B.C. Begley