MOST ACTIVE #SUNSPOT IN YEARS: Fast-growing sunspot AR3663 has quickly become the most active sunspot of Solar Cycle 25. Today alone it has unleashed two #X-flares and six #M-class #flares. This interest-compressed movie from the #Solar Dynamics Observatory shows 12 hours of crackling action:

Each of these flares has created a brief but deep radio blackout on Earth, causing loss of signal at frequencies below 30 MHz. These are events easily noticed by ham radio operators, aviators and mariners using shortwave to communicate.

The flares are expected to continue. AR3663 has a 'beta-gamma-delta' magnetic field where mixed polarities are bumping together in explosive proximity. NOAA forecasters estimate a 75% chance of additional M-class flares and a 25% chance of more X-flares on May 5th.
https://spaceweather.com/

DRAMATIC #M-CLASS EXPLOSION: A magnetic filament just beyond the sun's northeastern limb exploded on Oct. 26th (2324 UT), causing a chain reaction of magnetic eruptions that spilled onto the Earthside of the sun. NASA's SDO recorded the M1.4 category blast:

Coronagraphs onboard the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) have since detected a fast-moving #CME emerging from the blast site. Type II radio emissions from the leading edge of the CME suggest it is moving 1558 km/s (3.5 million mph). There is a hint of an Earth-directed component. It is too soon to know for sure, however; confirmation awaits additional data from SOHO.

https://spaceweather.com/

NEW SOURCE OF FLARES: Suddenly, AR3445 is crackling with activity. The mixed-polarity sunspot has produced multiple #M-class #flares this weekend, including this M4-category explosion on Sept.24th (0328 UT):

A flash of extreme #ultraviolet #radiation from the #flare ionized the top of Earth's atmosphere, causing a shortwave radio blackout over #Australia: map. Mariners and ham radio operators may have noticed loss of signal at frequencies below 25 MHz for as much as 30 minutes after the flare.

This flare might have lasted long enough to lift a #CME out of the sun's atmosphere.
https://spaceweather.com/

EARTH-DIRECTED SOLAR FLARES: Sunspot AR3429 is crackling with #M-class #solarflares. This interest-compressed movie from Sept. 15th shows extreme ultraviolet flashes from four eruptions, all Earth-directed:

#Pulses of #radiation from this #sunspot are #ionizing the top of #Earth's #atmosphere, creating a rolling series of shortwave radio blackouts over all longitudes of our #planet. Ham radio operators, pilots and mariners may notice occasional loss of signal, especially at frequencies below 20 MHz.

So far none of the explosions has hurled a CME toward Earth. They've all been too brief to lift a CME out of the sun's atmosphere. However, there is a huge magnetic filament snaking around the sunspot group. If continued flaring destabilizes the filament, it could erupt and hurl significant debris in our direction.
https://spaceweather.com/