Powerful Solar Flare Occurred on Easter, Led to 'Brief Radio Blackout'

The Space Weather Prediction Center warned that solar activity is "expected to be active over the next week", as sunspots located in the vicinity of the area of the Sun where the solar flare occurred "migrate across the visible disk".

Easter weekend this year was marked by a powerful solar flare that ended up being registered as an X1.1-class sunstorm, space.com reports, citing the US Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC).

The flare was observed on 17 April at 03:34 UTC, and was followed by a coronal mass ejection mere minutes later.

The flare had apparently originated from an area of the Sun designated as Region 2994 that, along with Region 2933, forms "a cluster of active sunspots that have produced significant flaring prior to appearing on the eastern limb" of the Sun, SWPC notes.

"Solar activity is expected to be active over the next week as these sunspots migrate across the visible disk," the center adds.

The solar flare in question also apparently led to a "brief radio blackout", the media outlet adds.