New Delhi: An X5.1 solar flare has erupted from the Sun. According to the Solar Influences Data Analysis Centre (SIDC) operated by the Royal Observatory of Belgium, “A class X5.1 solar X-ray flare occurred on 2025/11/11 with peak time 10:04UT”. Solar physicist Dibyendu Nandi said, “The strongest solar flare of the year till date has hit us.” The strongest solar flare in the ongoing cycle was an X9 flare that erupted on 3 October 2024. This is the fourth X-class solar flare to erupt from the cluster of sunspots designated as Active Region 4274 by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and sunspot Group 687 by SIDC since it rotated into view last week.
On 4 November, AR 4274 fired an X1.8 flare, followed by an X1.7 flare on 09 November and an X1.2 flare on 10 November. Now, on 11 November it has fired off an X5.1 flare. The active region is growing in complexity and size, and is aimed straight at the Earth, after crossing the central meridian a few days ago. Any associated CMEs are bound to be hurled directly towards the Earth. The Space Weather Prediction Centre (SWPC) operated by the NOAA has issued an alert for a strong geomagnetic storm (G3) between 11 and 13 November because of the CMEs associated with the previous X-class flares.
Severe Space Weather ahead
The X5.1 flare caused a radio blackout on the sunlit side of the Earth. The event is so fresh that there is no coronagraph imagery at the time of writing, which will give an idea of the speed of the CME. It is safe to say that aurora chasers are in for a treat considering that there are a pair of CMEs on the way to the Earth, that are forecasted to induce minor to moderate geomagnetic storming. The imagery of the coronal mass ejection associated with the X5.1 flare is awaited, along with the modelling of its passage through the Solar System, and forecasts on the timing and intensity of the resulting geomagnetic storm.