Sun unleashes powerful X-class solar flare and Earth-bound CME that could spark northern lights for July 4 weekend

A restless Earth-facing sunspot unleashed a powerful X-class solar flare on June 30, triggering radio blackouts across parts of North America. The X1.1 solar flare erupted from sunspot region AR4479, peaking at 4:50 p.m. EDT (2050 GMT) according to NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center. The intense burst of X-rays released during the eruption reached Earth in just over 8 minutes, triggering strong (R3) radio blackouts across the daylight side of Earth . This mainly affected high-frequency radio users across parts of North America who may have experienced temporary signal degradation or brief communication outages while the flare was at its strongest. The eruption also launched a coronal mass ejection (CME) — a huge cloud of magnetized solar plasma hurled into space. Initial observations suggested most of the material was traveling northward, limiting the chances of a significant Earth impact. However, after further analysis, NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center issued a Moderate (G2) geomagnetic storm watch for July 3, indicating that at least part of the CME could land Earth with a significant blow. Radio blackouts triggered by the X-class solar flare. (Image credit: NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center) Will we see the northern lights? When Earth-directed, CMEs can interact with our planet's magnetic field and spark geomagnetic storms, which can produce dazzling northern lights displays. …