Huge solar flare to hit Earth

 

The burst of charged particles which has been released by the Sun and is rushing towards Earth is the biggest since August and comes as the Sun begins the most active stage of its 11-year cycle. Prior to the August flare, the Sun had not erupted with such magnitude since December 2006, before it entered a five-year period of relative calm. The cloud of particles will begin reaching Earth at about midday on Thursday and should last until Friday but could be followed by further bursts, experts said. The charged particles, which will arrive at about four million miles per hour, have the potential to disrupt any magnetic, radio or radiation emissions. This means they could trip out electrical power grids, wreak havoc with GPS systems and disrupt communication systems, putting flight schedules at risk.