M1.2 solar flare
Friday, 17 December 2021 16:36 UTC
We remain very vigilant on the development of sunspot regions 2907 and 2908 in particular but today's highlight actually comes from sunspot region 2911 in the northern hemisphere. It surprised us all with an impulsive M1.2 solar flare (R1-minor) that peaked at 00:51 UTC.
The solar flare was not eruptive and did not launch a coronal mass ejection into space. Six numbered sunspot regions are currently visible on the earth-facing solar disk which pushes the sunspot number to a respectable number of 127 today. Keep an eye on the Sun... maybe she could provide us with some extra Christmas Lights next week...?
Moderately strong M1.29 flare from sunspot region 12911
— SpaceWeatherLive (@_SpaceWeather_) December 17, 2021
Follow live on https://t.co/3Xxrvc3cpA pic.twitter.com/QecTEBv171
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Space weather facts
| Last X-flare | 2025/12/08 | X1.1 |
| Last M-flare | 2025/12/31 | M7.11 |
| Last geomagnetic storm | 2026/01/02 | Kp5 (G1) |
| Spotless days | |
|---|---|
| Last spotless day | 2022/06/08 |
| Monthly mean Sunspot Number | |
|---|---|
| December 2025 | 124 +32.2 |
| January 2026 | 110 -14 |
| Last 30 days | 104.3 -5.3 |