NASA Confirms Five X-Class Solar Flares From AR4366 in Three Days

Overview

• NASA recorded five major flares between Feb. 1 and 3—X1.0, X8.1, X2.8, X1.6 and X1.5—originating from active region AR4366.
• A burst of solar particles from the eruptions is expected to reach Earth, which could trigger geomagnetic disturbances without any significant outages reported so far.
• X-class flares are the most powerful category on the solar flare scale and result from magnetic reconnection on the Sun.
• Earth’s magnetic field and atmosphere block most incoming particles, limiting direct risks to people while increasing hazards for satellites and astronauts.
• Scientists say such a rapid cluster is uncommon and aligns with the Sun’s roughly 11-year cycle, with past extremes like 1859 underscoring potential technological vulnerabilities.