Daily Weird News Report
The sun produced an M6.9-class solar flare on Aug. 25, launching a coronal mass ejection (CME) from an active sunspot region that faces Earth, according to Space.com’s report citing SpaceWeatherLive. The flare peaked at 6 a.m. EDT, or 1000 GMT.
The eruption came from sunspot region 4513, which had already generated five M-class flares during the previous 24 hours. M-class eruptions are the second-highest category of solar flares, below the most powerful X-class events.
The flare also caused a moderate R2 radio blackout across the sunlit side of Earth. High-frequency radio communications were affected in parts of Africa, Europe and the Arctic.
Attention is now focused on the CME. Early modeling indicates that it could pass near Earth on Friday, Aug. 28. Space.com reported that NASA’s model placed the possible arrival around 6 to 7 a.m. EDT, or 1000 to 1100 GMT, but with an uncertainty of about seven hours.
Aurora chaser Jure Atanackov described the CME as slow-moving and expected a glancing encounter rather than a major impact. However, another source of solar activity could complicate the forecast. The Solar Influences Data Analysis Center expects a high-speed solar-wind stream from a positive-polarity coronal hole to begin affecting Earth on Aug. 27.
That stream is forecast to bring unsettled to active geomagnetic conditions, with a possibility of minor-storm levels. If it reaches Earth around the same time as the CME, the combined effects could increase geomagnetic activity and potentially improve aurora-viewing opportunities.
The eventual impact remains uncertain. Space.com reported that the CME’s arrival time and the direction of its magnetic field will be important factors. A strong southward magnetic field would interact more effectively with Earth’s magnetic field, potentially producing stronger geomagnetic activity.
The report emphasized that the forecast could change as additional space-weather data and modeling become available.
