By The Associated Press
LOS ANGELES — The sun unleashed a powerful solar flare early Tuesday, the largest in nearly five years.
Scientists say the eruption took place on the side of the sun that was not facing Earth, so there was little impact to satellites and communication systems.
Space scientist Joe Kunches at the U.S. government’s Space Weather Prediction Center in Colorado says there were reports of brief shortwave radio disruptions in Asia, but little else.
The sun is transitioning from a quiet period into a busier cycle.
Scientists estimate there will be a spike in the number of such solar eruptions over the next three to five years.
The last time there was such a strong solar flare was in December 2006.
For more information:
NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center: www.swpc.noaa.gov
NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory: http://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov
