The first ‘ significant ’ solar flare of the year has been spotted by a Nasa observatory . The flare peaked at 12.22pm EDT ( 4.22pm GMT ) yesterday and was watched by the orbiting Solar Dynamics Observatory ( SDO ) . This flare was the most powerful of the year so far , and is predicted to cause a geomagnetic storm on Earth tomorrow following blackouts today . Scroll down for video . Space weather experts in Colorado , US issued a warning on a solar flare . It was the biggest eruption of the year and peaked at 4.22pm GMT yesterday ( shown ) This flare was classified as an X2.2-class flare . X-class denotes the most intense flares , while the number provides more information about its strength . An X2 is twice as intense as an X1 , an X3 is three times as intense , and so on . Solar flares are powerful bursts of radiation , but harmful radiation from a flare can not pass through Earth 's atmosphere to physically affect humans on the ground . However , when intense enough , they can disturb the atmosphere in the layer where GPS and communications signals travel . This flare was emitted from Active Region 12297 ( AR12297 ) on the sun . According to the US Space Weather Prediction Centre ( SWPC ) in Boulder , Colorado , the flare caused an hour-long blackout in some high-frequency radio communications over some areas . The flare ( seen in different wavelengths on the left and right ) has already caused radio blackouts on Earth and a minor geomagnetic storm could occur tomorrow . This flare was emitted from Active Region 12297 ( AR12297 ) on the sun . Solar flares can damage satellites and have an enormous financial cost . The charged particles can also threaten airlines by disturbing the Earth ’ s magnetic field . Very large flares can even create currents within electricity grids and knock out energy supplies . A positive aspect , from an aesthetic point of view , is that the auroras are enhanced . Geomagnetic storms are more disruptive now than in the past because of our greater dependence on technical systems that can be affected by electric currents . ‘ An R3 ( Strong ) Radio Blackout peaked at 1622 UTC ( 12:22pm EDT ) today , March 11 , ’ they said in a statement.. ‘ This is yet another significant solar flare from Active Region 12297 as it marches across the solar disk . ‘ This is the largest flare the region has produced so far , after producing a slew of R1 ( Minor ) and R2 ( Moderate ) Radio Blackouts over the past few days. ’ They also note that ejections of material associated with the flare - known as a Coronal Mass Ejection ( CME ) - are predicted to arrive today and tomorrow . ‘ The combined effects of these storms have prompted a G1 ( Minor ) geomagnetic storm watch to be issued , with the possibility of additional or upgraded watches if/when additional data can be analysed , ’ they wrote . A geomagnetic storm is a temporary disturbance of Earth 's atmosphere , which can cause communication problems . Nasa ’ s Solar Dynamics Observatory ( SDO ) , illustration shown , was launched on 11 February 2010 and has observed the sun ever since . It ’ s goal is to understand how exactly the sun interacts with the environment around Earth . It captured the images of this latest large flare . According to the US Space Weather Prediction Centre ( SWPC ) in Boulder , Colorado , the flare ( shown ) caused an hour-long blackout in some high-frequency radio communicatiosn over some areas . A solar flare occurs when magnetic energy that has built up in the solar atmosphere is suddenly released - mostly in the active regions around sunspots . Their frequency varies from several a day , when the sun is particularly active , to less than one a week during quiet periods . Radiation is emitted across virtually the entire electromagnetic spectrum , from radio waves at the long wavelength end , through optical emission to x-rays and gamma rays at the short wavelength end . The amount of energy released is the equivalent of millions of 100-megaton hydrogen bombs exploding at the same time . Solar flares are not to be confused with coronal mass ejections ( CMEs ) . The former are the flash of light from the sun , while the latter are the actual emission of material that we often see as 'loops ' coming from the surface . While the two often accompany each other , the relationship between them is not entirely understood .
Space weather experts in Colorado , US issued a warning on a solar flare . It was the biggest eruption of the year and peaked 4.22pm GMT tomorrow . It has already caused radio blackouts on Earth and a minor geomagnetic storm could occur yesterday . This flare was emitted from Active Region 12297 ( AR12297 ) on the sun .