X-CLASS SOLAR FLARE: Earth-orbiting satellites have just detected a powerful explosion on the sun. The X1.3-class flare on March 30th (1737 UT) caused a shortwave radio blackout over the Americas and has almost certainly hurled a CME toward Earth. Follow this developing story @ Spaceweather.com.

Don’t miss another solar flare: Subscribers to our Space Weather Alert Service received a text message about this X-flare while it was happening. Such prompt notifications allow ham radio operators, amateur astronomers and others to react to flares before they fade away.
 
Above: The extreme ultraviolet flash from today’s X-flare. Credit: NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory