On Sunday, February 24, the Sun erupted with a powerful X2.0 solar flare from sunspot AR 4001, located just beyond the sun’s northwestern limb.

The flare caused a shortwave radio blackout across parts of the Pacific Ocean due to increased UV radiation.

X-class flares are the most intense, with each increase in class representing a tenfold increase in strength.

This flare was rated an R3 “Strong” on NOAA’s Space Weather Scale, but there were no concerns of an Earth-bound coronal mass ejection (CME).

Although the flare did not produce a CME that could impact Earth, sun-watching spacecraft captured dramatic views of the plasma and magnetic field ejection, Space.com has reported.

Forecasters are monitoring the sun for further solar flare activity this week.

Written by B.C. Begley