Sunspot region 3663, X1 solar flare
Saturday, 4 May 2024 07:24 UTC
Sunspot region 3663 has developed into a complex sunspot region over the past few days with a Beta-Gamma-Delta magnetic layout. This complex magnetic layout already produced countless of M-class solar flares and one X1.6 solar flare which is going to be the focus of this article.
The X1.6 solar flare peaked yesterday at 2:22 UTC and was rather impulsive. The solar flare nonetheless launched a coronal mass ejection into space. While not the most spectacular coronal mass ejection ever observed by mankind, part of the plasma cloud is expected to arrive as a glancing blow late tomorrow, 5 May. The bulk of the coronal mass ejection is heading well north of our planet but a glancing blow should not be ruled out. Storm conditions up the minor G1 geomagnetic storm level will be possible late on 5 May and Monday, 6 May.
A coronal mass ejection launched by an impulsive X1.6 solar flare that occurred yesterday is expected to arrive as a glancing blow late tomorrow, 5 May. The bulk of the coronal mass ejection is heading well north of our planet but a glancing blow should not be ruled out. Storm… pic.twitter.com/QcAadbPx5d
— SpaceWeatherLive (@_SpaceWeather_) May 4, 2024
M9.1 solar flare
Another significant solar flare took place not too long ago. An M9.1 solar flare peaked today at 6:19 UTC. However, it is still too early to tell if the eruption launched a coronal mass ejection and if there is a chance for it to arrive at our planet.
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Space weather facts
| Last X-flare | 2024/12/08 | X2.2 |
| Last M-flare | 2024/12/21 | M1.9 |
| Last geomagnetic storm | 2024/12/17 | Kp5+ (G1) |
| Spotless days | |
|---|---|
| Last spotless day | 2022/06/08 |
| Monthly mean Sunspot Number | |
|---|---|
| November 2024 | 152.5 -13.9 |
| December 2024 | 100.9 -51.6 |
| Last 30 days | 114.1 -42.1 |