Astronomers Watch Big Sunspot Growing

The forecasters over NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) have observed a sunspot (AR1654) that is as large as 14 Earth diameters and still growing. This sunspot was first seen on January 8^th and now as the Sun turns that side towards us this sunspot's potential explosions and M-class flares (which are medium-sized) could have an effect on our electronics and radios. Solar flares are often followed by coronal mass ejections which throws electrons, ions and atoms into space.

One of the most powerful flares ever observed was in 1859 and could be seen by the naked eye. It produced auroras (a natural light display seen in high latitudes) all the way down to Cuba and destroyed telegraph systems all over the world. A powerful solar flare erupting on the surface of the sun takes only 15 minutes to reach earth and currently we have no way of protecting our technology-dependent selves from them.