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Hindustan Times
29 minutes ago
- Science
- Hindustan Times
X-Class solar flare triggers radio blackout across the US. See map
A powerful X-class solar flare from the Sun disrupted radio communications across large parts of the Pacific and the United States on Thursday, June 19, stated a Newsweek report. Captured by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory, the flare was recorded at 11:50 pm UTC. Classified as an X1.9 solar flare, the blast ranked among the most extreme solar phenomena. An extreme solar flare caused radio signal blackouts across the United States. See map The intense ultraviolet radiation from the flare caused a shortwave radio blackout affecting frequencies below 25 Megahertz (MHz). The blackout was most noticeable across the Pacific Ocean, with amateur radio operators in Hawaii and coastal areas particularly impacted. Map shows radio signal blackout caused by X-class solar flare(NOAA) Solar flare follows earlier June 15 event Solar flares are violent bursts of energy on the Sun's surface, capable of releasing as much power as a billion hydrogen bombs, NASA stated. Flares are rated by intensity with X-class representing the highest category. These can trigger planet-wide communication disruptions and long-lasting radiation storms. The Newsweek report stated that the X1.9 event followed an earlier M-class flare on June 15, which temporarily knocked out radio signals across North America at lower frequencies. Unlike the previous M8.3 flare, the one recorded on Thursday did not eject a Coronal Mass Ejection (CME), a massive plasma and magnetic burst, into space. However, scientists at NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center warned that the explosion likely destabilized a large magnetic filament in the Sun's southern hemisphere. Also read: NASA astronauts make 'space sushi' aboard the ISS to cheer up sushi-craving crewmate Eruption may lead to rare aurora sightings at lower latitudes The filament is currently erupting and may trigger a CME, which could reach Earth in the coming days and spark geomagnetic storms. These storms could disrupt satellites and power grids, but also produce brilliant auroras, sometimes visible far beyond their usual polar range. NOAA explained that if a CME arrived at Earth, it could generate strong geomagnetic storms, leading to some of the brightest auroras extending toward lower latitudes. Last year, per the report, similar conditions led to sightings of the aurora borealis as far south as Japan. Auroras arise from charged particles from the Sun colliding with our atmosphere. This process causes atoms and molecules in the atmosphere to become excited; when these excited particles return to their lower energy states, they release this energy as visible light, creating the striking color associated with the northern lights. With solar activity on the rise in the peak of the current solar cycle, we will likely see more solar activity in the next several months. FAQs What caused the June 19 radio blackout? An X1.9-class solar flare from the Sun released intense ultraviolet radiation, disrupting shortwave radio signals, especially across the Pacific. Which areas were affected? The Pacific Ocean region, including parts of the United States and Hawaii, experienced signal disruptions on frequencies below 25 MHz. What is an X-class solar flare? X-class flares are the most intense category of solar flares, capable of causing global radio blackouts and radiation storms. Could this affect power grids or GPS? If a CME reaches Earth, it could cause geomagnetic storms that might impact satellites, GPS, and even power infrastructure.
Newsweek
2 hours ago
- Science
- Newsweek
Map Reveals Blackout Over US States After 'Extreme' Solar Flare
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Large parts of the United States faced a radio blackout on Thursday following a strong solar flare from the sun. The "extreme ultraviolet flash" was captured by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory satellite. The solar flare, categorized as X-class in scale—the highest scale, was triggered by an active region of a sunspot on June 19 at 11:50 p.m. UTC. Radiation from the X1.9 blast caused a shortwave radio blackout over the Pacific Ocean, leading to a loss of signal at frequencies below 25 Megahertz (MHz). Amateur radio operators, especially in Hawaii, may have noticed the signal loss. Solar flares are intense bursts of radiation from the sun. The most powerful explosions in the solar system, they can can contain as much energy as a billion hydrogen bombs, according to NASA. Solar flares are classified according to their intensity, with X being the highest on the scale. X-class solar flares can cause planet-wide radio blackouts and long-lasting radiation storms. A map showing the areas affected by the solar flare, including large parts of the United States. Inset, an image of the solar flare. A map showing the areas affected by the solar flare, including large parts of the United States. Inset, an image of the solar flare. NOAA/SWPC/NASA The latest solar flare follows an M-class one, the second-highest on the scale, that occurred days earlier on June 15. It caused a shortwave radio blackout across North America, with a loss of signal seen at frequencies below 20 Megahertz (MHz). Unlike the M8.3 solar flare on Sunday, the solar flare on Thursday did not launch a Coronal Mass Ejection (CME)—a massive burst of plasma and magnetic field lines—into space. However, the explosion has apparently destabilized a magnetic filament in the sun's southern hemisphere. This massive filament, which is erupting now, may produce a CME, which could lead to geomagnetic storms. A solar flare erupting on June 19, causing the radio blackout. A solar flare erupting on June 19, causing the radio blackout. NASA / Solar Dynamics Observatory "When a CME arrives at Earth, it can produce some of the biggest geomagnetic storms and thus, some of the brightest and most active auroras that extend furthest toward the equator," explained NOAA. Geomagnetic storms caused by CMEs can lead to aurora borealis, also known as the northern lights. The northern lights are formed from electrons colliding with the upper reaches of Earth's atmosphere. During these collisions, "the electrons transfer their energy to the atmosphere thus exciting the atoms and molecules to higher energy states" and "when they relax back down to lower energy states, they release their energy in the form of light," explains the Space Weather Prediction Center. Stronger solar cycles produce more solar storms with greater intensity, which drives geomagnetic activity. "If the geomagnetic field is active, then the aurora will be brighter and further from the poles," where the northern lights are typically most visible, says the Space Weather Prediction Center. This means that the aurora borealis may be viewed from lower latitudes than usual. Last year, strong solar activity allowed northern lights enthusiasts to catch a rare viewing of the natural display in parts of the world where they're normally not seen, such as in Japan. Do you have a tip on a science story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about space? Let us know via science@
Hindustan Times
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Fortnite brings back Street Fighter skins: Chun-Li, Ryu, Cammy and more characters to return after 3 years
Fortnite is bringing back its iconic Street Fighter crossover skins after years of anticipation and countless fan requests. The update, confirmed via Fortnite's official X account, will see the return of popular characters like Ryu, Chun-Li and Cammy starting June 20, 2025. The crossover, which originally launched in stages throughout 2021 and 2022, had disappeared from the in-game Item Shop in August 2022. Its absence only fueled demand, especially for the highly coveted Chun-Li skin, which became a cult favorite among Fortnite players and streamers alike. According to Epic Games, the Street Fighter skins will be available in Fortnite's Item Shop starting June 20. The in-game shop refreshes daily at 0:00 UTC, and while the return has been confirmed, there is no word yet on how long the skins will remain available this time. Each character comes as part of a themed bundle, including outfits, back blings, pickaxes, emotes and gliders. The full set features six returning fighters: Ryu, Chun-Li, Cammy, Guile, Sakura and Blanka. While Epic Games has not officially revealed updated prices for this relaunch, past bundles were priced at around 2,200 V-Bucks each. Individual outfits typically cost 1,600 V-Bucks, with each bundle offering two fighters, two emotes, a loading screen, and cosmetic gear. Also read: Google's Gemini AI panics while playing Pokémon, takes 800 hours to finish game In total, the full Street Fighter cosmetic set includes 26 items. With the comeback confirmed, fans are expected to rush to the shop for a chance to grab these rare legacy skins. The skins return to the Item Shop on June 20, 2025. Ryu, Chun-Li, Cammy, Guile, Sakura and Blanka are included in the bundle. Based on previous launches, expect bundles at 2,200 V-Bucks and individual skins at 1,600 V-Bucks. Official pricing is yet to be confirmed.
Business Insider
5 hours ago
- Business
- Business Insider
Bitget Launches AVAXUSD and BCHUSD Perpetual Futures
Bitget, the leading cryptocurrency exchange and Web3 platform, has announced the listing of AVAXUSD and BCHUSD perpetual futures contracts, effective June 19, 2025 (UTC+8). These additions further enhance Bitget's comprehensive range of futures trading instruments, with each supporting up to 25x leverage. Both AVAXUSD and BCHUSD contracts are settled in USDT, with trading available 24/7. The AVAXUSD contract features a tick size of 0.001, while the BCHUSD contract operates with a tick size of 0.01. Funding fees are settled every eight hours, aligning with industry standards for consistent mark-to-market pricing. All contract parameters, including leverage limits, tick size, and margin rates, may be updated as needed to reflect market risk conditions. Traders are encouraged to consult live updates and contract specifications directly on the platform. AVAXUSD and BCHUSD futures trading is available through both the official Bitget website and mobile app. For more details on AVAXUSD and BCHUSD, users can visit here. About Bitget Established in 2018, Bitget is the world's leading cryptocurrency exchange and Web3 company. Serving over 120 million users in 150+ countries and regions, the Bitget exchange is committed to helping users trade smarter with its pioneering copy trading feature and other trading solutions, while offering real-time access to Bitcoin price, Ethereum price, and other cryptocurrency prices. Formerly known as BitKeep, Bitget Wallet is a leading non-custodial crypto wallet supporting 130+ blockchains and millions of tokens. It offers multi-chain trading, staking, payments, and direct access to 20,000+ DApps, with advanced swaps and market insights built into a single platform. Bitget is at the forefront of driving crypto adoption through strategic partnerships, such as its role as the Official Crypto Partner of the World's Top Football League, LALIGA, in EASTERN, SEA and LATAM markets, as well as a global partner of Turkish National athletes Buse Tosun Çavuşoğlu (Wrestling world champion), Samet Gümüş (Boxing gold medalist) and İlkin Aydın (Volleyball national team), to inspire the global community to embrace the future of cryptocurrency. For more information, visit: Website | Twitter | Telegram | LinkedIn | Discord | Bitget Wallet Risk Warning: Digital asset prices are subject to fluctuation and may experience significant volatility. Investors are advised to only allocate funds they can afford to lose. The value of any investment may be impacted, and there is a possibility that financial objectives may not be met, nor the principal investment recovered. Independent financial advice should always be sought, and personal financial experience and standing carefully considered. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results. Bitget accepts no liability for any potential losses incurred. Nothing contained herein should be construed as financial advice. For further information, please refer to our Terms of Use.
Forbes
10 hours ago
- Science
- Forbes
Summer Solstice 2025: The Exact Time For Every U.S. State
The 2025 solstice — the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere and the shortest in the Southern Hemisphere — will occur at 02:42 UTC on Saturday, June 21. However, in North America, it happens the previous day. People watch the sun rise, as they take part in the Summer Solstice at Stonehenge in Wiltshire, ... More Friday, June 21, 2024. (Andrew Matthews/PA Wire/PA via AP) June's solstice marks the longest day of the year and the beginning of astronomical summer in the Northern Hemisphere. It's not only the longest day but also the point when daylight begins to shorten. The solstice occurs at a specific global time (02:42 UTC on June 21), so its local time varies across U.S. time zones. The 2025 summer solstice occurs at 10:42 p.m. EDT, 9:42 p.m. CDT, 8:42 p.m. MDT, 7:42 p.m. PDT, 6:42 p.m. AKDT and 4:42 p.m. HST on Friday, June 20. At that precise moment, the sun will be directly overhead at the Tropic of Cancer at noon somewhere on Earth. It's the northernmost point of the sun at noon. Solstice is from the Latin solstitium, sol meaning sun and stit being stationary. That's because, as a consequence of the sun reaching its highest in the sky in the Northern Hemisphere, its rise and set points are at their extreme northeast and northwest, respectively. To the observer, the sun appears to rise farther northeast until June's solstice, when it appears to stand still for a few mornings before rising farther east and south. Although Stonehenge is traditionally associated with the solstice (it's aligned with the rising sun on the solstice), there are other ancient monuments with a solstice link. Egypt's Nabta Playa stone circle, the oldest known astronomical site, tracks the solstice, with no shadows cast by its stones at noon on the date of the solstice. According to Astronomy magazine, Nabta Playa was constructed by a cattle-worshiping cult of nomadic people to mark the summer solstice and the arrival of the monsoons. At 7,000 years old, it's older than Stonehenge. The 2025 solstice will occur at 02:42 UTC on Saturday, June 21, 2025. The Tropic of Cancer is a line 23.4 degrees north of the Earth's equator through The Bahamas, Mexico, Egypt, Libya, Niger, Algeria, Mauritania, Mali, Chad, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Oman, India, Myanmar, China and Taiwan. It reflects the tilt of the Earth's axis, which explains why the planet has solstices, equinoxes and seasons. The beginning of astronomical seasons is marked by solstices and equinoxes (equinox means equal night when there are 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness). The spring or vernal equinox occurs between March 19-21, the June solstice June 20 and 22, the September equinox September 21-24 and the December solstice is December 20-23, according to In 2025, they occur on March 20, June 20, Sept. 22 and Dec. 21, respectively.
