Moderately strong M8.6 solar flare erupts from Region 3234
A moderately strong solar flare measuring M8.6 erupted from Active Region 3234 at 17:50 UTC on February 18, 2023. The event started at 17:35 and ended at 17:56 UTC.
There were no radio signatures that would suggest a coronal mass ejection (CME) was produced.
Radio frequencies were forecast to be most degraded over the United States, Central America, and the entire South America at the flare time.
LASCO C2 shows a faint CME was produced, but it’s mostly directed away from Earth.
Region 3234 has Beta-Gamma-Delta magnetic configuration and is capable of producing strong to major eruptions on the Sun. It’s moving toward the limb now and will start its farside rotation in a few days.
This is currently the largest sunspot group on the Earth’s side of the Sun.
Solar activity is expected to be low with a 50% chance for M-class flares and a slight chance (15%) for an X-class flare over the next 2 days.
Featured image credit: NASA SDO/131, The Watchers
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