July 12, 2012: An X-1.4 class flare erupted from the center of the sun, peaking at 12:52 PM EDT. It erupted from Active Region 1520 and will bombard the Earth on July 14.

(NASA/SDO/AIA)

 

Fox News : The sun unleashed a huge flare yesterday, (July 12), the second major solar storm to erupt from the sun in less than a week.

The solar flare peaked at 12:52 p.m. EDT (1652 GMT) as an X-class sun storm, the most powerful type of flare the sun can have.

According to NASA and the Space Weather Prediction Center (SPWC), which is operated by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, today's sun storm registered as an X1.4-class solar flare. It is more powerful than the X1.1 flare that erupted on July 6, making this latest tempest the strongest solar storm of the summer so far.

Because the solar flare erupted toward Earth, it is expected to send an enormous  wave of charged particles toward the earth  that could supercharge northern lights displays, and may cxreate radio blackouts.

X-class solar flares are the strongest type of storms that occur on the sun. When aimed at Earth, the most powerful X-class flares can endanger satellites, airplane communication, astronauts in space, interfere with navigation and communications signals, and damage power system infrastructure on our planet.

  Yesterdays  solar flare marks the sixth X-class solar flare of 2012. While it is the strongest yet of the summer season, which began in late June, it is not the most powerful solar flare (CME)  of 2012. That title is currently held by the March 2012 event that unleashed an intense X5.4-class solar flare.

The sun is currently in the midst of an active phase of its 11-year solar weather cycle. The current cycle is called Solar Cycle 24 and is expected to peak in 2013.