Solar Activity Set to Get Worse

Still, the massive sunspot region shows no signs of quieting down, and
earlier today, NASA scientists said that it also appears to be growing.

"Sunspot AR1429 keeps getting bigger! It's more than 7 times the width
of Earth," scientists with NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory said via
Twitter.

With this sunspot region now facing Earth, at the central meridian of
the solar disk, strong solar eruptions have the potential to wreak havoc
on the planet. Big coronal mass ejections that hit Earth head-on can
potentially knock out power grids and disrupt other electronics
infrastructure. Strong solar storms can also disrupt satellites in space
and pose radiation risks for astronauts aboard the International Space
Station.


The sun appears to be coming out of an extended lull in activity in its
11-year cycle. The current cycle is known as Solar Cycle 24 and solar
activity is expected to ramp up toward its peak in 2013, NASA officials
have said.

http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2012/03/10/strong-solar-flares-still-shooting-out-from-active-spot-on-sun/