Sun

Sun news: A pair of fiery simultaneous eruptions

Posted by
C. Alex Young
and
Armando Caussade
and
Raúl Cortés
and
May 12, 2026
Sun news.
Sun news for May 12, 2026. We observed an impressive, synchronized eruption of 2 prominences in opposite directions yesterday evening. Image via NOAA.

Sun news May 12: A pair of fiery simultaneous eruptions

Today’s top story: The sun treated us to a pair of gorgeous, fiery eruptions over the northwest and southeast horizons around 17 UTC yesterday evening. These beautifully synchronized blasts sent chunks of sun-stuff into space, but neither are heading Earthward. However, we’re still awaiting a possible impact of sun-stuff fired out in Sunday’s M5.8 (moderate) flare. This might reach our magnetic field late today or tomorrow. Stay tuned!

Past 24 hours of sun news

(11 UTC May 11 – 11 UTC May 12)

Flare activity

Over the past day, solar activity returned to low levels with the production of only C-class (common) and B-class (weak) flares. In total, the sun fired 9 flares: 6 C-class and 3 B-class.

  • Strongest flare: C1.9 from AR4432, peaking at 14:15 UTC on May 11.
  • Lead flare producer: AR4432 blasted out all 9 flares of the period.

Sunspot regions

Today the Earth-facing side of our sun is populated with 4 numbered active regions. AR4432 keeps its beta-gamma configuration and AR4436 lost the gamma complexity shown yesterday.

Blasts from the sun?

At around 4:16 UTC on May 11, a filament in the south hemisphere erupted, hurling a blob of solar stuff into space. The event is under modeling and analysis to determine if a component of this coronal mass ejection (CME) is coming our way at Earth. The coronal mass ejection (CME) produced during the M5.8 event from AR4436 on May 10, may provide a possible glancing blow late today or tomorrow. This might trigger a G1 (minor) geomagnetic storm … or it might deliver only a weak disturbance or miss entirely!

Past 24 hours in space weather

Solar wind

Solar wind speeds averaged moderate-low levels during this period. The total interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) stayed weak.

Bz and magnetic coupling

The Bz component shifted between north and south orientations throughout the past day.

Earth’s magnetic field

Over the past day, Earth’s magnetic field remained at quiet levels (Kp 1–2). At the time of this writing, Earth’s magnetic field sits at level 1 on the Kp index scale.

What’s ahead? Sun–Earth forecast

Flare activity forecast

Forecasters expect low activity to continue over the next three days. Today, chances for M-class (moderate) flares are reduced to 40%. The chances for an isolated X-class (strong) flare increased to 10%. The main players are active regions AR4432 and AR4436.

Geomagnetic activity forecast

  • May 12: Expect mostly quiet conditions (Kp 0–2) as background solar wind prevails. Active conditions are anticipated late today with the early arrival and glancing blow of a blob of solar stuff hurled into space on May 10. Chances for G1 (minor) geomagnetic storming levels with corresponding auroras are possible.
  • May 13: Unsettled-to-active conditions with chances of G1 (minor) geomagnetic storm disturbances. All this is due to a possible glancing blow from the May 10 coronal mass ejection (CME). It may combine with coronal hole effects. If Kp = 5 storm conditions develop, auroras could reach Seattle, Minneapolis, Edinburgh and the Scottish Highlands. Quiet-to-unsettled conditions are more likely if the CME component is weaker than modeled.
  • May 14: A new coronal hole fast solar wind stream may begin arriving later in the day. A slight chance of G1 (minor) storm intervals exists as solar wind speeds ramp up again.
The sun, seen as a large yellow sphere with dark spots, each labeled.
This image shows sun activity – with the most active regions labeled – as of 7 UTC on May 12, 2026. Original image, without labels, via NASA SDO. Courtesy of NASA/SDO and the AIA, EVE, and HMI science teams, with labeling by EarthSky. Armando Caussade posted today’s sun. Why are east and west on the sun reversed?
Sun news.
Sun news for May 11, 2026. A filament eruption was observed in the solar south hemisphere. The event occurred at around 4:16 UTC on May 11. The blob of solar stuff or coronal mass ejection (CME) is under modeling and analysis to determine if a component is heading our way at Earth. The image was captured by NOAA’s GOES-19 in its 304 angstrom channel. Image via NOAA.
Sun news.
May 11, 2026. The SOHO spacecraft’s LASCO C3 instrument has captured Mercury entering its field of view over the past few days! Image via NASA/ SOHO.

Sun news May 11: M5 flare erupts, sun-stuff may glance Earth

The sun just fired its strongest flare in days! The M5.8 (moderate) flare erupted from sunspot region AR4436 in the northeast around 13 UTC yesterday. The blast sent a fast chunk of sun-stuff – a coronal mass ejection (CME) – racing into space. Scientists have detected a fast, powerful pressure wave racing ahead of this CME. The bulk of the ejecta is heading away from Earth, but our planet could receive a glancing blow early on May 13. If so, this could trigger G1 (minor) auroras. Stay tuned, aurora hunters!

Past 24 hours of sun news

(11 UTC May 10 – 11 UTC May 11)

Flare activity

Over the past day, solar activity reached high levels. In total, the sun fired 10 flares: 1 M-class, 8 C-class (common) and 1 B-class (weak).

  • Strongest flare: M5.8 from AR4436, peaking at 13:19 UTC on May 10. It triggered an R2 (moderate) radio blackout, disrupting high frequency communications across eastern Africa.
  • Lead flare producer: AR4432 generated the vast majority of the remaining activity. It fired 8 C-class flares and 1 B-class event.

Sunspot regions

The Earth-facing solar disk showed 5 numbered active regions.

Blasts from the sun?

A significant partial halo CME accompanied the M5.8 flare from AR4436. It first appeared at 13:48 UTC on May 10, erupting off the east limb in the SOHO spacecraft’s LASCO C2 imagery. The bulk of the ejecta was aimed well east of Earth. However, initial WSA-ENLIL modeling points to a possible glancing blow arriving at Earth early UTC on May 13. If the Earth-directed component is confirmed, Kp could reach 5, indicating G1 (minor) storm potential. However, significant uncertainty remains. The CME may deliver only a weak disturbance or miss entirely.

Past 24 hours in space weather

Solar wind

Solar wind conditions reflected the waning influence of a positive-polarity coronal hole high-speed stream. Speeds declined from slightly elevated to normal by its end. The total interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) stayed weak.

Bz and magnetic coupling

The Bz component remained near neutral and variable. The slight swings from north to south were too weak to drive any significant geomagnetic response. Consequently, Earth’s magnetic shield stayed firmly closed.

Earth’s magnetic field

Over the past day, Earth’s magnetic field stayed quiet (Kp 0–2). No geomagnetic storm conditions occurred. The weak and variable IMF kept conditions calm throughout. No sustained southward Bz developed.

The sun in recent days

The sun, seen as a large yellow sphere with dark spots, each labeled.
This image shows sun activity – with the most active regions labeled – as of 2 UTC on May 11, 2026. Image via NASA/ SDO.
The sun, seen as a large yellow sphere with dark spots, each labeled.
This image shows sun activity – with the most active regions labeled – as of 5 UTC on May 10, 2026. Image via NASA/ SDO.
The sun, seen as a large yellow sphere with dark spots, each labeled.
This image shows sun activity – with the most active regions labeled – as of 5 UTC on May 9, 2026. Image via NASA/ SDO.

Sun images from our community

The sun, seen as a large white sphere with small dark spots.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Patricio León in Santiago, Chile, captured this filtered image on May 11, 2026. Patricio wrote: “Both main sunspots of the solar face AR4432 and AR4436 have developed gamma-delta configurations so any of them could emit strong M-class flares like that yesterday, but until now activity remains in basal B-class. The pair of big cores of AR4432 can very well complete the backside rotation and reappear at the eastern limb in about two weeks.” Thank you, Patricio!
The sun, seen as a green sectional sphere with dark spots, each labeled.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Victor Rogus in Sedona, Arizona, captured this filtered image on May 11, 2026. Thank you, Victor!
The sun, seen as a large yellow sphere with a mottled surface.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Anthony Faulkner in Tucson, Arizona, captured this filtered image on May 10, 2026. Anthony wrote: “Our sun in broadband white light. Sunspot AR4431 is leading off the western edge, with much larger AR4432 following in second place. Sunspots AR4433 and AR4435 can be seen near center, while active sunspot AR4436 is popping out from the eastern limb. North is at top.” Thank you, Anthony!

Sun images from our community

The sun, seen as six spheres in different bright colors.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Mario Rana in Hampton, Virginia, captured these filtered images on May 10, 2026. Mario wrote: “The sun in hydrogen-alpha, helium D3, sodium D2, and calcium-H.” Thank you, Mario!
The sun, seen as a large yellow sphere with a mottled surface.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Jim Militello in Tucson, Arizona, captured this filtered image on May 10, 2026. Jim wrote: “Hydrogen-alpha image of the sun with active regions, prominences and filaments.” Thank you, Jim!
The sun, seen as a large gray sphere with small dark spots.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | David Hawkes in South Yorkshire, United Kingdom, captured this filtered image on May 10, 2026. David wrote: “Glorious sunny day today with some cumulus clouds, perfect conditions. Active regions 4432 and 4431 are close to the exit on the western solar horizon with a couple more regions plus AR4436 rising in the east.” Thank you, David!

We sometimes feature sun images obtained using hydrogen-alpha filters. Read why.

Bottom line: Sun news for May 12, 2026: Sun activity returned to low levels. But the sun granted us with double, simultaneous, fiery prominences on the solar horizon.

Submit your photos here.

View community photos here.

Posted 
May 12, 2026
 in 
Sun

C. Alex Young

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About the Author:
C. Alex Young is a solar astrophysicist studying the Sun and space weather. Alex is passionate about sharing science with diverse audiences. This led him to start The Sun Today with his designer wife, Linda. First through Facebook and Twitter then adding an extensive website thesuntoday.org, the two work together to engage the public about the Sun and its role in our solar system. Alex led national engagement efforts for the 2017 total solar eclipse. He is the Associate Director for Science in the Heliophysics Science Division at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.

Armando Caussade

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About the Author:
Armando is known primarily as an astronomy educator, after 30+ years of extensive public outreach and 10 years teaching in colleges. As one of only a handful of science communicators in Puerto Rico during Comet Halley's last visit, he assumed a pioneering role starting in 1985 when science was just beginning to enter the collective mindset. Over the years, his work as a teacher, speaker and writer, inspired people to pursue interests in science and brought enduring change to Puerto Rican culture. After being accepted into the 2014–2015 Antarctic season of PolarTREC, Armando was assigned to the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, where in 2015 he successfully conducted 10 days of work at the IceCube Neutrino Observatory. His affiliations include Ana G. Méndez University, Cupey campus (2014 to 2021), the University of Puerto Rico, Aguadilla campus (2015 to 2017), NASA JPL's Solar System Ambassadors (2004 to 2006), and NASA Space Grant (2017 to 2019) where he served as an affiliate representative.

Raúl Cortés

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About the Author:
Raúl Cortés studied engineering at the Autonomous University of Nuevo León in Monterrey, Mexico, obtained a scholarship to continue his studies in Japan and after returning to Monterrey he got credits on MBA from the Graduate School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Faculty. He became a teacher at the University UANL teaching Math and Physics and dedicated the rest of his professional career to serve in engineering areas for USA, Japan and Germany based corporations. His passion for the skies go back to when he was a child, always intrigued about the stars and constellations and reading and researching about the matter. From 2010 on, he dedicated his attention to photographing the stars, constellations, the moon and the sun. Raúl's work on his photography has been published and posted on the ESC as well as in other platforms and has gained attention to be published by local Monterrey newspapers.

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