Venus Express spacecraft spots gigantic holes in Venus’s atmosphere

(Artist’s impression of Venus Express in orbit – Photo Credit: ESA/AOES Medialab)

The European Space Agency’s Venus Express spacecraft has discovered giant holes present in the electrically charged layer of the Venusian atmosphere, known as the ionosphere, and investigations into these mysterious holes have now revealed that the sun’s magnetic field lines may be penetrating through the planet, hinting that Venus may have a more complicated magnetic environment than previously thought.

X-class flare erupts from the Sun and heads straight for Earth

 (The X1.6 class solar flare is pictured erupting in the middle of the sun – Photo Credit: NASA/SDO)

Another extreme solar storm is set to strike after an active sunspot five-times the diameter of Earth erupted with both an X 1.6 flare and a smaller coronal mass ejection. The explosive X 1.6 flare lasted longer than usual and sent out a significant burst of radiation into space, creating a geomagnetic storm that could affect radio communications and power systems in the next couple of days.