Sun news: Three M flares! Activity on the rise

Sun news for January 17: Three M flares! Activity on the rise

Today’s top story: After days of low activity, the sun has kicked things up a notch with three M flares! The M flares came from regions AR3964 and AR3961. The events are under analysis to determine if they sent any blobs of sun-stuff – coronal mass ejections (CMEs) – toward Earth. Meanwhile, a fiery eastern limb (edge) suggests that more action could possibly be on the way. Will sun activity keep rising? Stay tuned.
Last 24 hours: After several days of only C flares, activity has risen to moderate after three M flares were fired in the past 24 hours. Between 11 UTC yesterday and 11 UTC today, the sun produced 18 flares: three Ms and 15 C flares. The largest flare was an M2.1 from sunspot region AR3964 at 9:19 UTC on January 17. An R1 (minor) radio blackout associated with the flare affected an area over Madagascar. The second largest was an M1.3 from active region AR3964 at 2:11 UTC on January 17. A corresponding R1 (minor) radio blackout affected an area over the Coral Sea off the northeast coast of Australia. It was followed by an M1.1 at 3:20 UTC on January 17 from AR3961, causing an R1 (minor) radio blackout over Australia. The lead flare producer of the period was sunspot region AR3964 with 10 flares: two Ms and eight C flares. AR3959 is the most magnetically complex region, with a promising beta-gamma-delta magnetic configuration. AR3961 has a beta-gamma configuration, while AR3962 is showing a simpler beta complexity. The rest of the active regions on the Earth-facing solar disk are either alpha or beta regions. The sun has six numbered active regions, including two newcomers: AR3964 and AR3965.
Next 24 hours: The chance for C flares is 99%, the chance for M flares is 55%, and the chance for X flares is 15% today.
Next expected CME: No Earth-directed coronal mass ejections (CMEs) were observed in the available coronal imagery.
Current geomagnetic activity: Earth’s magnetic field is active at the time of this writing (11 UTC on January 17). The active (Kp = 4) threshold was reached at 4:26 UTC. Quiet-to-unsettled conditions are anticipated during the rest of the day and tomorrow due to effects of fast solar wind from a large coronal hole.

Sun news for January 16: 24 flares in past day!

After a week of low flare production, when the sun produced as few as six flares in a day, the sun blasted out 24 flares over the past day! The active regions we’ve been anticipating over the sun’s east (incoming) horizon are here, and flare activity has risen accordingly. Active regionfast AR3961 in the southeast quadrant, which recently came into view, is one of the big flare producers of the past day, with 11 C flares. And that’s not all. We see more action is coming into view from the east. The flares are still of the common C-class variety now. But larger flares might occur at any minute. The chances for M flares increased from 35% yesterday up to 45% today. They increased X flare chances from 5% yesterday to 15% today. Stay with us for more.
Last 24 hours: Solar activity is still low over the past day, with only C-class flares. But 24 of them happened between 11 UTC yesterday and 11 UTC today! The largest flare was a C4.4 from an unnumbered sunspot region that emerged in the sun’s northwest quadrant at 7:26 UTC on January 16.  The lead flare producer of the period was AR3961 with 11 C flares. AR3959 shows the most premise today. It is the largest active region in extent and also the most magnetically complex with a beta-gamma-delta magnetic configuration.  AR3961, AR3962 and AR3963 have a beta-gamma complexity and AR3956 shows a beta magnetic configuration. The sun currently has five numbered active regions. There is a newcomer on the north hemisphere, almost over the central meridian, AR3963.

Sun news for January 15: Bright comet makes it round our star

The sun is currently in an activity lull, but our sun-observing spacecraft have still been watching something amazing. The SOHO spacecraft captured the above view of bright comet C/2024 ATLAS G3 – tipped to be the brightest comet of 2025 – as it made its closest approach to our star over the past few days and emerged on the other side. Wow! And the real spectacle is about to unfold on Earth. Having survived its encounter with the sun, the comet is now just starting to appear in the evening sky. It’ll be easiest to spot for those toward the Southern Hemisphere. Look for it in the east shortly after sunset. Have you seen it? Did you capture a photo? Share it with us! Stay tuned as we continue to monitor this celestial wonder.
Last 24 hours: Solar activity remained low over the past day. The sun produced twelve C class flares between 11 UTC yesterday and 11 UTC today. The largest flare was a C6.2 sparked by sunspot region AR3962. It was blasted out at 17:27 UTC on January 15. Vigorous jets and prominences have been adorning the northwest as AR3947 departs from view. AR3961 and AR3962 are the joint-leading flare producers. Each produced four C flares. AR3959 and AR3961 are showing some promise, developing beta-gamma magnetic configuration. The rest of the active regions have either alpha or beta magnetic configurations. The sun currently has five numbered active regions. There is a newcomer on the northeast limb (edge), now labeled AR3962.

Sun news for January 14: Action on the way? Plus, see the comet!

Sun activity remains low, but that could be about to change. Action appears to be on the way from the southeast, where energetic activity has been observed over the past day. We can tell a fiery active region is just about to come into view in that area, as we can see it launching plasma into space over the horizon. There’s also activity in the northeast, where sunspot region AR3959 has rotated into view to become the largest region on the solar disk. And the promising activity isn’t just on the sun itself today. The SOHO spacecraft’s view of our star currently features a spectacular view of Comet C/2024 ATLAS G3. This comet, tipped to be the brightest of 2025, reached perihelion – its closest point to the sun – yesterday. Some comets disintegrate when they reach this point. But, although it’s too soon to be sure, it seems this comet has made it through intact. If it stays that way, it should be a sight to behold when it starts to emerge in Southern Hemisphere skies after sunset later this week. We’ll keep an eye on it!
Last 24 hours:  The sun stayed at low levels of activity over  the past day. However, flaring productivity increased; the sun produced thirteen C class flares between 11 UTC yesterday and 11 UTC today, compared to the eight Cs produced the previous day. The largest event was a C3.5 blasted out by active region AR3959 in the solar northeast. We saw vigorous jets and prominences on the northwest, where once-prolific AR3947 is departing from view. It departs as the lead flare producer of the past day, firing five C flares. Farewell, AR3947! All the active regions we see from Earth on the sun now show simple alpha or beta magnetic configurations. But, although it is low in complexity, AR3959 looks pretty large. There is a large new coronal hole that formed in the southeast quadrant, and is now moving into a geoeffective position. The sun has seven numbered active regions on the side we can see from Earth.

Sun news for January 13: Where’s the sun? SDO eclipse season is here

What’s blocking the sun in these pictures from the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO)? It’s the Earth! SDO is now in its 30th eclipse season, which kicked off on January 10. During these periods, our planet briefly gets between SDO and the sun, blocking its view. Eclipse seasons occur twice a year for SDO, and last about 2–3 weeks each. Because SDO is in a special geosynchronous orbit – meaning the satellite travels around Earth at exactly the same rate that Earth rotates – these eclipses start small, lasting just 20 minutes, then grow longer day by day, reaching over an hour at their peak before shrinking again. These eclipse seasons typically line up with the solar equinoxes, but SDO’s orbit has shifted these periods slightly over the years. Eclipse season #30 will wrap up on February 5, 2025. Until then, SDO is catching some cosmic shade!
Last 24 hours:  Solar activity remained low over the past the past day. The sun produced eight C class flares between 11 UTC yesterday and 11 UTC today. The largest event was a  C8.1 at 2:15 UTC on January 13. It was produced by active region AR3947. The lead flare producer of the period was newcomer AR3959. AR3947 is nearing the western limb (edge). The sun has seven numbered active regions on the side we can see from Earth. The newcomer regions are AR3957, AR3958, and AR3959.

For sun activity prior to this date, see our January archive.

The sun in recent days

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Bottom Line: Sun news for January 17, 2025. Sun activity has finally picked up to moderate levels, thanks to 3 M flares fired in the past 24 hours.