Sun news June 13: Chunk of solar stuff expected to arrive today
Today’s top story: A couple of chunks of solar stuff are expected to arrive today and reach Earth’s magnetic field with a glancing blow. This may trigger conditions to see up to G1 (minor) and G2 (moderate) geomagnetic storms. NOAA’s alert for auroral displays continues on during this weekend. This may be an ideal time for aurora hunters to chase them this weekend. Clear skies to you, and don’t forget to share your beautiful aurora photos with us.
Past 24 hours of sun news
(11 UTC June 11 – 11 UTC June 12)
Flare activity
Over the past day, solar activity keeping at low levels. Our star sparked 9 flares during our observation period; 8 C-class and 1 B-class flares.
- Strongest flare: C1.9 from an incoming active region in the southeast as-yet-unnumbered produced at 19:36 UTC on June 12.
- Lead flare producer: again this incoming as-yet-unnumbered region in the southeast and this time AR4464 produced 3 C flares each.
Sunspot regions
3 numbered active regions populate today the face of the solar disk that points toward Earth.
AR4465 (beta) lost its gamma component during the period, and now it shows a simpler beta.
AR4464 (beta) continued showing a beta configuration.
Ar4463 carries a simpler alpha configuration.
Blasts from the sun?
A small filament eruption was observed in the northeast at 16 UTC on June 12. Coronagraph imagery shows a coronal mass ejection (CME) northeast oriented. Modeling and analysis of the event are ongoing.
Past 24 hours in space weather
Solar wind
Solar wind speeds continued at moderate-high levels during the whole period. Meanwhile, the total interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) stayed at weak levels this morning.
Bz and magnetic coupling
The Bz component kept. shifting northward to southward during the period. The strongest peaks and also more abundant were south oriented. A strongly sustained southward Bz is what opens the floodgates for auroral displays.
Earth’s magnetic field
Over the past day, Earth’s magnetic field showed quiet-to-unsettled levels (Kp 2–3). Kp3 level ruled during the most part of the period. Currently, the Kp index sits slightly below level 3.
What’s ahead? Sun–Earth forecast
Flare activity forecast
Forecasters expect low levels to continue. M-class (moderate) flare odds saw a slight increase from 30% yesterday to 35% today. And X-class (strong) flare chances kept at 5%.
The main drivers still are AR4465 and AR4464.
Geomagnetic activity forecast
- June 13: Active conditions anticipated with storming periods possible. Arrival CMEs hurled by the sun on June 9 and 11 may reach Earth’s magnetic field with a glancing blow. That could bring another round of geomagnetic enhancements up to G2 (moderate) levels.
- June 14: G1 (minor) geomagnetic storming possible as effects from the CMEs start to wane.
- June 15: Earth’s geomagnetic field may return to unsettled to active levels.
Sun news June 12: Surprise storm last night, more to come?
Today’s top story: A surge of fast solar wind triggered an unexpected G1 (minor) geomagnetic storm last night. The disturbance was bolstered by a complex knot of solar wind known as a co-rotating interaction region (CIR). More minor disturbance could come tonight. And tomorrow, a couple of chunks of sun-stuff fired on June 9 and 11 could give Earth glancing blows, possibly triggering G2 (moderate) geomagnetic storms. That could bring a round of weekend auroras! Clear skies to you, and don’t forget to share your beautiful aurora photos with us.
Past 24 hours of sun news
(11 UTC June 11 – 11 UTC June 12)
Flare activity
Over the past day, solar activity continued at low levels, with our star firing 8 C-class flares.
- Strongest flare: C5.2 from AR4465 in the northeast at 2:14 UTC on June 12.
- Lead flare producer: AR4465 and an incoming as-yet-unnumbered region in the southeast topped the list with 3 C flares each.
Sunspot regions
Today the solar disk shows 5 numbered active regions on its side seen from Earth.
AR4465 (beta-gamma) lost its delta component during the period, but remains the highest potential region on the disk.
AR4464 (beta) also dropped in magnetic complexity, losing its gamma component.
The remaining sunspot regions carry simpler alpha or beta configurations. They appear stable or in decay.
Blasts from the sun?
It is now confirmed that the CME produced during the AR4465’s C6.7 event will give us a glancing blow on June 13.
Past 24 hours in space weather
Solar wind
Solar wind speeds slowly increased from moderate to moderate-high levels during the period. Meanwhile, the total interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) peaked at strong levels from 15 UTC on June 11 through 3 UTC on June 12. It returned to weak levels this morning.
Bz and magnetic coupling
The Bz component shifted southward during the geomagnetic storm. That kept Earth’s magnetic shield open. A strongly sustained southward Bz is what opens the floodgates for auroral displays.
Earth’s magnetic field
Over the past day, Earth’s magnetic field showed quiet-to-active levels (Kp 2–5). A minor G1 geomagnetic storm (Kp5) was observed for one three-hour period from 20:40 UTC on June 11. Currently, the Kp index sits slightly below level 4.
What’s ahead? Sun–Earth forecast
Flare activity forecast
Forecasters expect low levels to continue. M-class (moderate) flare odds decreased to 30%. And X-class (strong) flare chances kept at 5%.
These numbers show the effects of two main drivers losing magnetic complexity: AR4465 losing its delta and AR4464 losing its gamma.
Geomagnetic activity forecast
- June 12: Active conditions with possible geomagnetic storm levels. The anticipated arrival of fast solar wind from a coronal hole in addition to a co-rotating interaction region (CIR) may produce isolated G1 (minor) enhancements.
- June 13: Active conditions may continue with storming periods possible. Early arrival of glancing blows from the June 9 and 11 CMEs may reach Earth’s magnetic field. That could bring another round of geomagnetic enhancements up to G2 (moderate) levels.
- June 14: G1 (minor) geomagnetic storming possible as effects from the CMEs start to wane.
Sun news June 11: A blob of sun-stuff is headed for Earth
A blob of sun-stuff is heading our way! Sunspot region AR4465 fired a C6.7 flare at 0:02 UTC this morning. The blast produced a coronal mass ejection (CME) that the SOHO spacecraft registered as a halo event. Initial analysis suggests some of this sun-stuff is heading toward Earth, and should give us a glancing blow around June 14. The blast was not that strong, but it might still disturb our magnetic field. Plus, we could see more eruptions soon. The sunspot that fired this sun-stuff has been evolving rapidly. It now carries a beta-gamma-delta configuration, the highest complexity there is. That makes it the top candidate for M-class and even X-class flares. Stay tuned!
Past 24 hours of sun news
(11 UTC June 10 – 11 UTC June 11)
Flare activity
Over the past day, solar activity held at low levels. In total, the sun fired 11 C-class flares.
- Strongest flare: C9 from AR4465 in the northeast at 8:28 UTC on June 11.
- Lead flare producer: AR4456 and AR4465 topped the list with 5 flares each.
Sunspot regions
Currently, the Earth-facing solar disk shows 5 numbered active regions.
AR4465 (beta-gamma-delta) is the clear standout. It gained a delta component during the period. That gives it the most complex magnetic configuration on the disk. As a result, it sits firmly at the top of the watch list for M and X flares.
AR4464 (beta-gamma) regained a gamma component. It is the second most complex region on the disk. It adds to the potential for stronger activity.
The remaining sunspot regions carry simpler alpha or beta configurations. They appear stable or in decay.
Blasts from the sun?
The C6.7 flare from AR4465 produced a CME that LASCO C3 registered as a halo event. A component might be directed toward Earth. A glancing blow is anticipated around June 14. In addition, a couple of earlier CMEs were observed in coronagraph imagery during the period, but both were confirmed to carry no Earth-bound component.
Past 24 hours in space weather
Solar wind
Solar wind speeds continued averaging at moderate levels during the period. Meanwhile, the total interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) showed a couple of peaks at moderate levels. But it returned to weak levels this morning.
Bz and magnetic coupling
The Bz component pointed northward for most of the period. That kept Earth’s magnetic shield closed. But at 3:55 UTC this morning on June 11, the Bz turned southward. A strongly sustained southward Bz is what opens the floodgates for auroral displays.
Earth’s magnetic field
Over the past day, Earth’s magnetic field continued at quiet levels (Kp 1–3). Currently, the Kp index sits slightly above level 2.
Sun news June 10: Solar Cycle 25 activity rises again
Time for a Solar Cycle 25 update! May 2026 registered a monthly sunspot number of 125.69, up from April’s value of 120 and the highest value since January. That’s a welcome recovery after the sharper declines seen in February, March, and April. Those months had dipped below the forecast in the downward trend from solar maximum. The peak of Solar Cycle 25 remains August 2024, with a sunspot number of 245.
Past 24 hours of sun news
(11 UTC June 9 – 11 UTC June 10)
Flare activity
Over the past day, solar activity remained at low levels. Only C-class (common) flares occurred. In total, the sun fired 10 C-class flares.
- Strongest flare: C2.6 from AR4465 in the northeast at 0:59 UTC on June 10. Other notable events included a C2.3 from AR4461 at 19:18 UTC, a C2.1 from AR4464 at 21:33 UTC, and a C1.9 from AR4464 at 21:10 UTC, all on June 9.
- Lead flare producer: AR4465 topped the list with 4 C-class flares. AR4466 closely followed with 3 C-class flares.
Sunspot regions
The Earth-facing solar disk continued to show 7 numbered active regions. AR4465 (beta-gamma) is the standout today. It gained a gamma component during the period. It now carries the most complex magnetic configuration on the disk. As a result, it moves to the top of the watch list for stronger flare production.
Blasts from the sun?
An eruption in the vicinity of AR4463 hurled plasma into space at 16:30 UTC on June 9. A component of this event was found to be approaching Earth. Initial analysis suggests a glancing blow around June 14. No other Earth-directed coronal mass ejections (CMEs) appeared in available coronagraph imagery during the period.
Past 24 hours in space weather
Solar wind
Solar wind speeds averaged at moderate levels during the period. Any influence from the earlier CME glancing blow continued to wane. Meanwhile, the total interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) stayed weak and steady.
Bz and magnetic coupling
The Bz component pointed southward for most of the period. That mostly southward orientation produced a slightly strong geomagnetic response, but conditions were not enough for storm levels. As always, a strongly sustained southward Bz is what opens the floodgates for auroral displays.
Earth’s magnetic field
Over the past day, Earth’s magnetic field continued at quiet levels (Kp 1–3). The waning effects from the earlier CME glancing blow produced no significant disturbances. Currently, the Kp index sits slightly above level 1.
Sun news June 9: Sun-stuff arrives, but disturbance only mild
An eagerly awaited coronal mass ejection (CME) reached Earth yesterday, but the disturbance was only mild. What happened to the
geomagnetic storms? It turns out the bulk of the sun-stuff passed to the south and east of Earth, as models had suggested was possible. That limited the geomagnetic response, and lowered expectations for more disturbance later today.
Past 24 hours of sun news
(11 UTC June 8 – 11 UTC June 9)
Flare activity
Over the past day, solar activity continued at low levels. Only C-class (common) flares occurred. In total, the sun fired 14 C-class flares.
- Strongest flare: C4.5 from AR4465 in the northeast at 4:23 UTC on June 9. Other notable events included a C3.2 at 7:00 UTC, a C3.0 from AR4455 at 6:52 UTC and a C2.7 from AR4456 at 6:06 UTC on June 9.
- Lead flare producer: AR4465 dominated the period. It fired 9 of the 14 C-class flares, including the strongest event. The remaining 5 flares came from other regions on the disk.
Sunspot regions
Currently, the Earth-facing side of our sun shows 7 numbered active regions. AR4464 (beta-gamma) is the standout today. It developed a gamma component during the period. It now carries the most complex magnetic configuration on the disk. As a result, it moves to the top of the watch list for stronger flare production.
Blasts from the sun?
No new Earth-directed coronal mass ejections (CMEs) appeared in available coronagraph imagery during this period.
Past 24 hours in space weather
Solar wind
Solar wind speeds decreased from moderate to moderate-low levels during the period. The waning CME influence was evident. Meanwhile, the total interplanetary magnetic field stayed weak, with only a slight increase.
Bz and magnetic coupling
The Bz component pointed mostly southward during the period. Only a few northward peaks occurred. That southward orientation produced a slightly stronger geomagnetic response compared to the previous day. But conditions still fell well short of storm levels. As always, a strongly sustained southward Bz is what opens the floodgates for auroral displays.
Earth’s magnetic field
Over the past day, Earth’s magnetic field stayed at quiet levels (Kp 1–2). The CME glancing blow produced only mild disturbances. Currently, Kp sits at low levels.
Sun news June 8: Auroras tonight? Strong storm watch issued
Aurora watchers across high latitudes should be on alert! A coronal mass ejection (CME) launched by an M1.8 (moderate) flare on June 6 is bearing down on Earth. Arrival is expected by midday UTC today. Both NOAA and the UK Met Office have issued a G3 (strong) geomagnetic storm watch. That means auroras could possibly dance at mid-northern latitudes. However, there’s a chance that the bulk of the material will just miss Earth, so the ultimate severity of this storm is a close call. Let’s see what happens!
Past 24 hours of sun news
(11 UTC June 7 – 11 UTC June 8)
Flare activity
Over the past day, solar activity returned to low levels. In total, the sun fired 14 C-class (common) flares. No M-class or X-class (strong) events occurred. Notably, the period was quieter than the preceding 24 hours, which featured the M1.8 eruption from AR4461.
- Strongest flare: C7.2 from an as-yet-unnumbered region near the eastern horizon at 2:36 UTC on June 8. As a C-class event, it produced no radio blackout. Other notable events included a C4.5 at 5:00 UTC on June 8 and a C3.3 from AR4456 at 4:19 UTC on June 7.
- Lead flare producers: Activity was spread broadly across the disk. Flares originated from multiple regions, including AR4455, AR4458, AR4459, AR4462 and AR4464. No single region dominated.
Sunspot regions: key players
Over the past day, 8 numbered active regions spanned the full Earth-facing solar disk. AR4456 remains the most magnetically complex region on the disk. It experienced minor decay during the period. But it still carries the highest complexity available: beta-gamma-delta. It produced the C3.3 flare and remains the primary candidate for stronger activity.
Blasts from the sun?
No new Earth-directed CMEs were observed during this period. The CME from June 6 remains the dominant story.
Past 24 hours in space weather
Solar wind
Solar wind conditions reflected a waning coronal hole high-speed stream. Speeds peaked at moderately high early in the period and then declined a little. Meanwhile, the total interplanetary magnetic field stayed moderate. A significant enhancement in solar wind speed, density and magnetic field strength is expected by early to mid UTC on June 8 as the CME shock arrives.
Bz and magnetic coupling
The Bz component fluctuated between mildly northward and southward. As a result, only modest geomagnetic coupling occurred. But that is about to change. When the CME arrives, the Bz orientation will determine the storm’s severity. A strongly southward Bz would open the floodgates for auroral displays.
Earth’s magnetic field
Over the past day, Earth’s magnetic field ranged from quiet to unsettled (Kp 2–3). No G-scale geomagnetic storm thresholds were reached. But the calm will not last. The CME is on its way.
The sun in recent days
Earlier sun images
Sun images from our community
More sun images from our community
We sometimes feature sun images obtained using hydrogen-alpha filters. Read why.
Bottom line: Sun news for June 12, 2026: A surprising G1 (minor) geomagnetic storm struck late yesterday. More G1 and G2 storms anticipated tomorrow and during the weekend.
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C. Alex Young
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