The sun has unleashed the second-most powerful solar flare of 2025, an intense X4-class eruption that caused significant radio blackouts across parts of the sunlit Earth. The event originated from a highly active sunspot region that is now rotating away from our view.
The flare peaked at 3:30 a.m. EST on November 14, according to data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Space Weather Prediction Center. The blast of radiation immediately impacted high-frequency radio communications, with the most pronounced effects observed over central and eastern Africa.
Key Takeaways
- The sun emitted an X4-class solar flare, the second strongest of 2025.
- The flare caused strong (R3) radio blackouts over central and eastern Africa.
- It originated from sunspot AR4274, the same source of this year's most powerful X5 flare.
- An associated Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) was released, but its trajectory is being analyzed to determine any potential impact on Earth.
A Powerful Parting Shot from Sunspot AR4274
The source of this powerful eruption is a sunspot region designated AR4274. This area of the sun has been remarkably active, having produced the year's most powerful flare, an X5-class event, just a few days prior.
This latest flare occurred as AR4274 was approaching the sun's western limb, which is the edge of the solar disk as seen from Earth. As sunspots rotate toward the limb, they eventually disappear from our line of sight. This event is being described as a 'parting shot' from one of the most productive sunspot regions of the current solar cycle, Solar Cycle 25.
The position of the sunspot is critical for assessing further impacts. While the flare's radiation travels at the speed of light, other solar phenomena do not.
Understanding Solar Flare Classifications
Solar flares are categorized by their intensity. The system uses the letters A, B, C, M, and X. Each letter represents a tenfold increase in energy output. An X-class flare is the most powerful category. The number that follows the letter provides a more specific measure of its strength; an X4 is significantly more powerful than an X1.
Radio Blackouts and Atmospheric Effects
When a solar flare erupts, it releases a massive burst of electromagnetic radiation. This energy travels to Earth in approximately eight minutes, striking the planet's upper atmosphere on the sunlit side.
The intense radiation from the X4 flare ionized the ionosphere, the layer of the atmosphere that radio operators use to bounce signals for long-distance communication. This rapid ionization absorbed high-frequency radio waves, leading to what is classified as an R3, or 'strong,' radio blackout.
Pilots, mariners, and amateur radio operators in the affected regions would have experienced disruptions or a complete loss of signal for a period of time.
Watching the Coronal Mass Ejection
In addition to the flare, the eruption also produced a Coronal Mass Ejection (CME). A CME is a large expulsion of plasma and magnetic field from the sun's corona. Unlike a flare's radiation, CMEs are clouds of particles that travel much more slowly through space.
Space weather forecasters are currently analyzing data from coronagraphs, which are instruments that block out the sun's bright face to observe its fainter outer atmosphere. This analysis will determine the speed and trajectory of the CME.
"Due to the position of the sunspot region so close to the solar limb, any associated CME would be less likely to be directed toward Earth," space weather officials noted while analyzing the event.
However, it is still possible that a portion of the CME could deliver a glancing blow to Earth's magnetic field in the coming days. Such an impact could potentially trigger geomagnetic storms, leading to enhanced auroral displays (the northern and southern lights) and, in stronger cases, pose risks to satellites and power grids.
An Active Solar Cycle Continues
This event is another strong indicator that Solar Cycle 25 is approaching its peak, known as the solar maximum. During this phase, the sun's magnetic activity increases, leading to more frequent and powerful sunspots, solar flares, and CMEs.
Scientists monitor this activity closely to provide warnings about space weather events that could affect our technologically dependent society. The data gathered from events like this X4 flare helps refine predictive models and improve our understanding of the sun's behavior.
For now, the primary impact of this event remains the temporary disruption of radio communications. All eyes are on the CME as it travels through space to see if it will bring a secondary, and potentially more visually spectacular, effect to our planet.