X2.9 solar flare, Welcome back 3664?

Monday, 27 May 2024 17:22 UTC

X2.9 solar flare, Welcome back 3664?

A major X2.9 solar flare (R3-strong) took place today peaking at 07:08 UTC. The flare came from a sunspot region just behind the south-east limb. This is likely the anticipated return of old sunspot region 3664 which was the source of many major X-class solar flares during its previous visit of the earth-facing solar disk and an extreme G5 geomagnetic storm which was the first of its kind in 21 years.

The solar flare was highly eruptive but the resulting coronal mass ejection is not aimed towards our planet. What a return! We should be able to see in about 24 to 48 hours from now what is left of this sunspot region. It will take an additional 5 days or so for the region to be at the center of the earth-facing solar disk. Who is excited and hopeful that the region still packs a punch as it rotates into an earth-facing position?

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Current data suggests there is a slight possibility for aurora to appear at the following high latitude regions in the near future

Whitehorse, YT, Yellowknife, NT
Anchorage, AK, Fairbanks, AK, Utqiagvik, AK
Norilsk
The Disturbance Storm Time index predicts moderate storm conditions right now (-67nT)

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