On the surface of the sun there has appeared a huge dark formation the likes of which has never previously been seen by scientists.
It is a dark band, or a crack, with a length of about 800,000 kilometers!
The dark area was photographed by U.S. astronauts and NASA experts are now trying to clarify the nature of the very unusual phenomenon.
According to scientists, it is most likely a cluster of dense cold gas, which is being kept on the surface of the celestial body by magnetic fields.
The formation may be dark because its temperature is much lower than the temperature of the sun.
Astrophysicists presume dark spots on the Sun are areas where the temperature is lower. However what we see here is not a normal sunspot and it is growing at an alarming rate.
According to researchers the region has increased to almost one million kilometers in just three days.
NASA forecasts that in September 2012, there might be outbreaks of unprecedented power. We can expect huge solar flares that can have serious effect world-wide.
Commenting on the study of the dangers of “space weather”, astrophysicist Daniel Baker claimed that the effects will be comparable to a nuclear war or the fall of a giant asteroid. However, in terms of power grids and satellites, it’s not the flares that the experts have to worry about, but the CMEs.
There is a risk that one day, they can wipe out all of our electronic civilization.