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- Science. Does the gigantic sunspot AR 4079 point to Earth? Scientists respond if it can be dangerous for our planet
The Sun is the most important star in the entire Solar System, as it is not only the gravitational force around which all other objects within it rotate, but it s for 99.8% of the mass contained within it and provides the energy and heat necessary for life on Earth to be a reality.
However, just as it is powerful, the Sun can occasionally become dangerous to human activities, mainly at the peaks of the solar cycle. Astronomers expect 2025 to be the year of the highest peak of the current variation, with these being periods of around 11 years.
Is a huge solar storm coming?
Recently, astronomers discovered the appearance of sunspot AR 4079 near the equator of our star, which has a diameter of just over 140,000 kilometers, more than 10 times the size of Earth, and may indicate that the solar cycle is reaching its peak.
In an interview with Brenda Culbertson,ambassador for NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory to local TV station 27 News in Topeka, Kansas, she mentioned that AR 4079 is looking directly at Earth, so if a coronal mass ejection happens, it will impact our planet.
This could lead to an increase in both southern and northern auroral activity due to disturbances in the Earth's magnetic field, as well as other disturbances that could trigger blackouts, power system failures and interruptions in the global satellite and telecommunications system.
For now, astronomers are continuing to monitor solar activity and the possibility of a geomagnetic storm caused by a massive coronal mass ejection from the sun.
What is a solar cycle?
Solar cycles are 11-year periods in which variations in solar activity occur in the number of sunspots observed on the star's surface. During this period, levels of radiation, solar material ejection and flares fluctuate between intervals of minimum to maximum activity.
These periods of maximum activity are identified by the greatest presence of sunspots on its surface, which is usually accompanied by these coronal mass ejections and other phenomena that can affect everything from the Earth's climate to living organisms and human infrastructure.