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Sun Fires Two X-Class Flares in 24 Hours as Active Regions Turn Toward Earth

Forecasters expect activity to intensify this week with sunspot clusters nearing the SunEarth line.

Overview

  • The first eruption peaked at X1.8 at 20:34 MSK on November 4, the strongest flare reported in nearly five months, according to Russia’s space research laboratory.
  • A second X-class event around X1.1–X1.2 peaked at 01:01 MSK on November 5 near the solar limb, making any associated coronal mass ejection unlikely to be Earth-directed.
  • Scientists report large coronal mass ejections forming, but recent trajectories mostly miss Earth and the precise directions remain under evaluation.
  • Two major active regions, cataloged as 4272/4274 and 4275, are rotating toward the central solar disk and are expected to align more closely with the SunEarth line by the weekend.
  • Laboratory forecasts call for continued elevated flare rates and warn of possible episodic geomagnetic disturbances that could affect power systems, shortwave communications, and navigation.