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An X-ray burst of the most powerful, X class, has taken place on the Sun. In about 2 days, a plasm cloud that formed as a result of it may reach the Earth and cause a magnetic storm, a representative of the Russian Institute of Applied Geophysics says, the Voice of Russia reports. 

The solar flare, the power of which is rated at the X1.2 level, took place at 22:32 Moscow time. Its source was a group of sunspots known under the number of 1944. This is one of the largest groups of spots that have appeared on the Sun within the last few years. The largest spot in this group is 2 times bigger than the Earth.

On Tuesday afternoon, the same group of sunspots produced another flare. This time, it was less powerful – rated at the M5.6 class.

The 1944 group of spots is located near the Sun's central meridian, which makes it likely that the flare will cause a magnetic storm on the Earth.

The scientist says that at present, the increase of the flow of protons in the near-Earth space is at the level rated as S1, and, most likely, there will be no further increase of the protons' flow.

There is no concrete information concerning the possibility of geomagnetic disturbances yet, but, most likely, the disturbances will take place in about 2 days from now.

According to the power of the X-radiation, solar flares are divided into 5 classes – A, B, C, M and X. A flare of the minimum, A0.0 intensity is practically equal to the radiation on the Earth's orbit, which is 10 nanowatt per 1 square meter. With the transition to each next letter, the power of the radiation increases 10 times.

As a rule, solar flares are accompanied with emissions of plasm that can provoke magnetic storms on the Earth.