A moderate solar flare designated M5.9 erupted on Friday evening, as reported by the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC). This event was recorded at 22:22 UTC, originating from a newly formed sunspot group emerging on the Sun’s eastern limb.
Impact of the Solar Flare
The flare reached R2-Moderate status on the radio blackout scale. While M-class flares of this magnitude are not uncommon during heightened solar activity, they occur less frequently than lower-level events.
Detection and Imagery
- The flare was captured in SUVI 131 Angstrom imagery from the GOES-19 satellite.
- This imagery displayed a bright, impulsive burst along the eastern edge of the Sun.
According to NOAA, M-class flares are typically impulsive, which means they rise and fall rapidly over a few minutes. However, some can persist longer depending on the active region’s structure.
Immediate Effects
The immediate impacts of this solar flare include:
- Brief degradation or loss of high-frequency (HF) radio communications.
- Potential disruption for aviation, marine operations, and amateur radio users.
Most disruptions last only a few tens of minutes. NOAA analysts are currently reviewing imagery to see if the flare has resulted in a coronal mass ejection (CME).
Future Monitoring
Forecasters highlight that a CME directed toward Earth could heighten the possibility of geomagnetic storms, particularly if it contains south-pointing magnetic fields. As of now, no CME has been confirmed.
The sunspot group responsible for this recent flare is still rotating into view on the Earth-facing side, indicating the potential for further solar activity in the coming days. As new imagery and solar wind data become available, additional updates will be provided by the NOAA SWPC.
