A large sunspot region is about to rotate onto the earth-facing disk
Saturday, 16 April 2022 07:15 UTC
Out of nowhere yesterday we were surprised by M-class solar activity. A sunspot region that is hiding behind the north-east limb started flaring and kept the X-ray flux above the M-class threshold for about three and a half hours! Three peaks were officially recorded: M1.2 M1.9 and M2.2. Multiple coronal mass ejections left the Sun following this activity but of course none are directed towards Earth.
Based on STEREO A it does look like a massive sunspot group, or groups in close proximity to each other, are currently hiding near the east limb. Considering how the X-ray flux is behaving dancing up and down in the C-class and of course the M-flaring yesterday we could be looking at a very interesting week ahead. This is likely the return of sunspot region 2975 but there could be multiple groups in close proximity to each other. We are now also starting to see two larger sunspots on SDO AIA on the north-east limb. More sunspots should rotate into view in the next 24 hours and more M-class solar flares seem very likely.
A large sunspot group (or groups in close proximity to each other) is currently hiding just behind the north-east limb. Flaring activity remains elevated and more M-class flaring like we had yesterday can be expected. pic.twitter.com/FFwrwkd2vJ
— SpaceWeatherLive (@_SpaceWeather_) April 16, 2022
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Space weather facts
| Last X-flare | 2026/04/24 | X2.5 |
| Last M-flare | 2026/05/22 | M2.3 |
| Last geomagnetic storm | 2026/05/16 | Kp6- (G2) |
| Spotless days | |
|---|---|
| Last 365 days | 3 days |
| 2026 | 3 days (2%) |
| Last spotless day | 2026/02/24 |
| Monthly mean Sunspot Number | |
|---|---|
| April 2026 | 79.3 -6.6 |
| May 2026 | 94.2 +14.9 |
| Last 30 days | 97.1 +4.3 |