[Regnum] A plasma cloud from the first high-class X-ray solar flare of the year has struck Earth. This was reported on January 19 by the Solar Astronomy Laboratory of the Space Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Institute of Solar Terrestrial Physics of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
"The plasma cloud just struck Earth. Fifteen minutes elapsed between passing the L1 Lagrange point and arriving at the planet (1.5 million km). This means a velocity of approximately 1,700 km/s," the Laboratory's Telegram channel clarified.
It was also noted that the velocity measurements on the ACE satellite were out of order, so no further velocity data will be available. The Laboratory noted that auroras can be observed under clear skies.
Earlier, the Solar Astronomy Laboratory of the Space Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences published video footage showing the first high-class X-ray flare on the Sun this year.
On January 15, a powerful M1.62 solar flare also occurred. The event was recorded at 11:33 PM Moscow time. The flare lasted 40 minutes.
Solar flares are divided into classes A, B, C, M and X depending on the power of their X-ray radiation.