Very Strong M-Class Solar Flare Erupts from the Sun

A strong mid-level solar flare erupted from the Sun on Wednesday, according to NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory.

The solar flare, classified at a strength of M9.3, was almost powerful enough to be an X-class flare, the strongest type of solar flare.

The Sun emitted the flare from sunspot region AR1996, which is on its way out of cycle.

According to SpaceWeather.com, Wednesday's flare breifly altered the propogation of low-frequency radio transmitters around the planet, but otherwise did not affect the planet. Fading sunspot AR 1996's position on the Sun's eastern limb mitigated Earth effects, SpaceWeather reported.

At this time it is unclear whether a coronal mass ejection (CME) will follow the flare, NASA said in a statement. 

There are several classes of solar flares, but M-class and X-class are most noteworthy because they can cause geomagnetic storms on Earth. M-class flares are the weakest type of solar flare that can cause some space weather effects near Earth, while X-class flares are the most powerful.

The numbers following the flare's letter class provide more information about the flare's strength. An X2 flare, for instance, is twice as strong as an X1.

Last month the Sun unleashed its most powerful solar flare of the year and one of the most powerful in the current solar cycle. The X4.9-class flare peaked on the evening of Feb. 24, occurring from sunspot region AR 11990. The largest solar flare of 2013 was rated X3.3.

The strongest flare of the current 11-year solar cycle was an X6.9 that occurred in August 2011.

According to SpaceWeather.com, the next solar flare could have a greater impact on Earth because sunspot AR 2002 is directly facing Earth and "has a 'beta-gamma-delta' magnetic field that harbors energy for strong explosions."

NOAA forecasters report an 80 percent chance of an M-class flare occurring on Thursday and a 15 percent change for an X-class flare.