

Sun news for June 9, 2024: 3 M flares. Auroras possible tomorrow
Today’s top story: After the storm, a calm. The sun produced three M flares during the past day; detail below. Remember a year ago – when the sun was still climbing to solar maximum – and thought three M flares was a huge deal? Now that the sun activity is peaking for this 11-year cycle, things are different, and we’re reporting 3 M flares as a calm. Ho hum. Three Ms! The almost-X flare we reported on yesterday – an M9.8 from AR3697 – was accompanied by a huge filament eruption that hurled a giant bubble of sun-stuff into space. After modeling and analysis, specialists found a component of this coronal mass ejection (CME) coming our way at Earth. An estimated arrival is by late June 10. The impact will bring chances for G1 (minor) to G2 (moderate) geomagnetic storming, with likely auroral displays at high latitudes at least. Don’t put up those cameras just yet.
Last 24 hours: Over the past 24 hours, sun activity returned to moderate levels, with the production of three M flares. We saw the sun blast out a total of 18 flares in the past day, three Ms and 15 C flares. The largest was an M1.7 flare by AR3697 at 7:01 UTC on June 9. An R1 (minor) radio blackout was observed affecting an area over India. This is the breakdown of the M flares during the period:
– M1.0 by AR3703 at 21:02 UTC on June 8. R1 (minor) radio blackout over the Pacific Ocean east of Hawaii.
– M1.7 by AR3697 at 7:01 UTC on June 9. R1 (minor) radio blackout over India. Biggest flare of the day.
– M1.2 by AR3709 at 9:19 UTC on June 9. R1 (minor) radio blackout over Oman.
The lead flare producer of the period is region AR3697 with 13 flares, an M and 12 Cs. Sunspot region AR3697, which is now approaching the southwest limb (edge), is departing with a spectacular show. It kept its beta-gamma-delta magnetic configuration. Sunspot region AR3703 is now showing a beta-gamma configuration. This may be the next active region to watch. On the Earth-facing solar disk, there are nine numbered active regions.
Next 24 hours: The chance for C flares is 99%. The chance for M flares is 75%. The chance for X flares is 25% today.
Next expected CME: After modeling and analysis of the M9.8 flare by AR3697 on June 8, a partial halo was observed in LASCO C2 associated with this event. The bulk of the bubble of solar material was hurled westward into space, but a component is heading our way at Earth. An impact is anticipated by late June 10. Other than that, no Earth-directed coronal mass ejections (CMEs) were observed in the available coronagraph imagery.
Current geomagnetic activity: Earth’s magnetic field is quiet at the time of this writing (11 UTC on June 9). Quiet-to-unsettled levels are anticipated for the rest of the day through early tomorrow June 10. An impact of the coronal mass ejection (CME) hurled by the sun associated with the M9.8 flare by AR3697 on June 8 will reach us at Earth late June 10. This will bring chances for a G1 (minor) to G2 (moderate) geomagnetic storm. Auroras on their way tomorrow late, maybe. Good luck, aurora chasers!

Sun news for June 8, 2024: Almost-X flare, big eruption, particle storm
The giant sunspot region AR3697 is awake again. It’s the historic sunspot group that produced the largest flare of Solar Cycle 25 (so far) and one of the largest geomagnetic storms recorded in this solar cycle. Nearing the end of its current trip over the Earth-facing side of the sun’s disk, it produced an almost X flare, an M9.8. A spectacular filament eruption occurred in conjunction with the flare. This massive energy release drove a huge shock wave, accelerating protons and electrons to nearly the speed of light. These solar energetic particles traveled along the solar magnetic field connected to Earth, showering the SOHO/LASCO cameras. This created the characteristic snow on the coronagraph images. The solar energetic particle event triggered an NOAA S3 radiation storm alert, like Kp on a scale of 5. The radiation storm level is reduced to an S2 level. At Earth, an unexpected G2 (moderate) geomagnetic storm occurred at 17:59 UTC on June 7 (Kp = 6) due to a transient coronal structure impacting Earth’s magnetosphere. Stay tuned for more sun news.
Last 24 hours: Sun activity reached high levels with an almost X, M9.8 flare. Our star produced 23 flares, seven M flares, and 16 C flares. The largest was the M9.8 flare from AR3697. The region released M flares all during our observation period between 11 UTC yesterday and 11 UTC today. The flare occurred at 1:49 UTC. The list of the M flares during the period is:
-M1.3 by AR3697 at 16:22 UTC on June 7. R1 (minor) radio blackout over Puerto Rico.
-M1.8 by AR3708 at 00:28 UTC on June 8. R1 (minor) radio blackout over the Pacific Ocean.
-M3.4 by AR3697 at 00:51 UTC on June 8. R1 (minor) radio blackout over the Pacific Ocean.
-M9.8 by AR3697 at 01:49 UTC on June 8. R2 (moderate) radio blackout over the Philippine Sea.
-M1.6.by AR3697 at 03:18 UTC on June 8. R1 (minor) radio blackout over over the Philippine Sea.
-M1.5 by AR3709 at 05:28 UTC on June 8. R1 (minor) radio blackout over Bangladesh.
-M1.2 by AR3709 at 08:44 UTC on June 8. R1 (minor) radio blackout over the Arabian Peninsula.
-M1.2 by AR3697 at 08:58 UTC on June 8. R1 (minor) radio blackout over the Arabian Peninsula.
The lead flare producer of the period is region AR3697 with 17 flares, five Ms, and 12 Cs. Sunspot region AR3697, which is now approaching the southwest limb (edge), is departing with a spectacular show. It kept its beta-gamma-delta magnetic configuration. On the Earth-facing solar disk, there are nine numbered active regions. The only newcomer is AR3709.



Sun news for June 7, 2024: Activity inches back to high
After a brief dip in activity, sun activity has returned to high with the production of an M6.1 flare by the lead flare producer of the week, sunspot region AR3697. The flare was blasted at 15:06 UTC on June 6 and it provoked an R2 (moderate) radio blackout affecting an area over the Atlantic Ocean. This was followed by a second M flare, an M4.1, by an incoming as-yet-unnumbered active region in the southeast. We also observed a lot of activity all around the solar periphery over the past day. A gorgeous filament – a rope of solar material and magnetic fields – erupted on the southeast limb (edge), and a long-lasting filament is sitting over the northeast limb as a prominence. Most of the sun’s active regions are on or near the limbs (edges), with lead active region AR3697 approaching the western limb. As the old guard departs, stay tuned to see what’s coming into view in the east.
Last 24 hours: Sun activity increased to high with the production of two M flares, including an M6.1 flare. The sun produced 14 flares in total: two M flares and 12 C flares. The largest flare was the M6.1 flare. At the time of writing (9:13 UTC on June 7), an incoming region in the southeast was firing the second M flare, an M4.1. The blast caused an R1 (minor) radio blackout over the Arabian Peninsula. The lead flare producer of the past day, and the week, was sunspot region AR3697, which is now approaching the southwest limb (edge). Keeping its beta-gamma-delta magnetic configuration, it is now the “oldest” numbered active region. On the Earth-facing solar disk there are currently nine numbered active regions. Two are newcomers: AR3707 and AR3708, both in the southeast quadrant.



Sun news for June 6, 2024: May was peak of Solar Cycle 25 so far

It’s official: May was the most active month in Solar Cycle 25 so far. It certainly felt that way, with multiple X flares – including the largest flare of Solar Cycle 25 so far – and many coronal mass ejections (CMEs) that provoked an historic geomagnetic storm. And now the official results are out; May had a sunspot number of 171.1, the highest in Solar Cycle 25 so far. The sunspot number is a way of evaluating the sun’s long-term activity level, based on an estimate of the number of sunspots on the whole sun. May surpassed June 2023’s value of 160.5, which held the title for almost a year. And May 2024 is the highest point seen since September 2001, when the sunspot number reached 238.2. Will June 2024 surpass May? It’s looking promising so far! Stay tuned.
Last 24 hours: Sun activity has dropped to low after only C flares were produced during the past day. The sun fired 14 C flares in total, the largest being a C9.5 by an as-yet-unnumbered incoming region on the southeast at 0:14 UTC on June 6. Sunspot region AR3697 was the leading flare producer with 5 C flares, and still bears a beta-gamma-delta magnetic configuration. But it is no longer the largest region on the solar disk, competing now with AR3703 and AR3698. The sun currently has eight labeled sunspot regions on its Earth-facing side as three of the eleven we saw yesterday decayed and vanished.
Sun news for June 5, 2024: Two M flares from decaying giant sunspot

Sunspot region AR3697 – famous for firing the largest X flare of Solar Cycle 25 so far and for helping to cause the global geomagnetic storms on May 10 – has started to show signs of decay. But it’s not done yet! It’s still holding on to its high-potential beta-gamma-delta magnetic configuration, and fired two M flares over the past 24 hours. We’ll have to wait and see if this region fades away completely before rotating off the Earth-facing solar disk for the second time. Sitting just above AR3697 is an interesting sight: a group of sunspot regions angled in an apparent straight line from east to west just under the equator. Take a look below. This is largely just a result of perspective, given that we are seeing a 2D projection of a 3D object, but it’s cool nonetheless!
Last 24 hours: Solar activity maintained moderate levels during the past day, with two M flares. The largest flare of the period was an M3.5 flare from AR3697, ongoing at the time of writing (8:56 UTC). The flare has produced an R1 (minor) radio blackout over the Arabian Peninsula. During our observation period, from 11 UTC yesterday to 11 UTC today, the sun produced 13 flares: two M flares and 11 C flares. AR3697 produced five of these: three Cs and the two Ms. The sun currently has 11 labeled sunspot regions on its Earth-facing side. There is a newcomer, numbered AR3706, that emerged in the southeast quadrant.


Sun news for June 4, 2024: Beautiful eruption. More auroras?

A bubble of sun-stuff hit Earth earlier today. It caused a G1 (minor) geomagnetic storm, observed around 0 UTC on June 4. This coronal mass ejection (CME) was associated with the M7 solar flare on June 1. Another blast of sun-stuff is anticipated later on today, bringing the chance for auroral displays tonight! Get ready, clean lenses, take beautiful photos, and share them with us. Turning back to our star, sun activity has stayed at moderate levels, with five M flares during the past day. AR3697 kept its beta-gamma-delta magnetic configuration, continuing its status as an important player in solar activity. At 12:27 UTC on June 3, a sigmoid (S-shaped) structure formed on the sun after the region released an M2.8 flare. Shortly afterwards, a sigmoid filament erupted from AR3695, at the same time releasing the largest flare of the day, an M4.8 at 14:11 UTC. A filament, many hundreds of thousands of miles long, is stretched along the southeast quadrant. This plasma structure is an Earth-directed eruption possibility. We will keep an eye out. By the way, the X flare potential is still large, at 35%. Stay tuned.
Last 24 hours: Sun activity remains at moderate levels, with the production of four M flares over the past day. The largest was an M4.8 flare from AR3695 at 14:11 UTC on June 3. The flare caused an R1 (minor) radio blackout. During our observation period, 11 UTC yesterday to 11 UTC today, the sun produced 17 flares, five Ms, and 12 Cs. AR3697 continues as the lead flare producer; it produced eight flares, four Ms, and four Cs. The list of M flares of the period:
– M3.2 from AR3697 at 11:55 UTC on June 3. R1 (minor) radio blackout over Yemen.
– M2.8 from AR3697 at 12:27 UTC on June 3. R1 (minor) radio blackout over Mauritania.
– M4.8 from AR3695 at 14:11 UTC on June 3. R1 (minor) radio blackout over the Atlantic Ocean.
– M2.4 from AR3697 at 06:31 UTC on June 4. R1 (minor) radio blackout over Mount Everest.
– M1.7 from AR3697 at 09:04 UTC on June 4. R1 (minor) radio blackout over the Arabian Peninsula.
AR3697 showed some decay, but kept its beta-gamma-delta magnetic configuration. So it still has the potential for more M and X flares. The sun has nine labeled sunspot regions on its Earth-facing side. There are two newcomers on the solar disk. AR3703 emerged close to the solar equator and AR3704 near the limb (edge), both in the southeast quadrant.


Sun news for June 3, 2024: A little sun-stuff heading our way
When the weekend started, the sun was blasting out X flares like crazy. But, in the past 24 hours, it has calmed down, with only one M1 flare and multiple C flares from AR3697 (the source of the Xs). We note that the potential for X flares is still at a whopping 35% today. Also, AR3697 did release a coronal mass ejection (CME) with an Earth-directed component. We’re not expecting a direct impact, but this CME is expected to increase geomagnetic activity from active to G1 (minor) geomagnetic storm levels. And this bump in activity should bring auroral displays to the higher latitudes. In other exciting sun news, Venus is going directly behind the sun, beginning today. This is the “occultation” of Venus by the sun. Or we can call it an anti-transit of Venus. And we can call it a conjunction of Venus with the sun. Conjunctions of Venus with the sun happen often. But this one is unusual because Venus will pass directly behind the sun: the anti-transit. The LASCO 2 imager on NASA’s SOHO spacecraft observed Venus just before it began its transit. See that image below!
Last 24 hours: Solar activity has decreased to moderate, with a single M1.0 flare from AR3697 at 4:59 UTC on June 3. AR3697 remained the lead flare producer, with nine C flares and the single M flare. The M flare caused an R1 (strong) radio blackout over Asia. AR3697 maintained its beta-gamma-delta magnetic configuration, meaning it has the potential for more M and X flares. The sun currently has 10 labeled sunspot regions on its Earth-facing side. A newcomer was numbered AR3702.


The sun in recent days







Sun images from our community
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Bottom line: Sun news for June 9, 2024. Sun activity is moderate, with the production of three M flares. Auroral display expected late tomorrow after M9.8 blast.