Space Weather, Solar Flares & Sun Storms: Latest News

French skywatcher Jean-Pierre Brahic took this photo of the violent solar flare from the sunspot 1302 on the sun's surface on Sept. 22, 2011. Earth is superimposed for scale.
French skywatcher Jean-Pierre Brahic took this photo of the violent solar flare from the sunspot 1302 on the sun's surface on Sept. 22, 2011. Earth is superimposed for scale. (Image credit: Jean-Pierre Brahic)

See our amazing collection of stories and features about the increasingly important topic of space weather (aka solar storms).

Related Topics: Solar Eclipse, Aurora Borealis 

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Latest about space weather

still image from a video showing the x-class solar flare eruption from the sun.

Watch sun unleash major X-flare in epic solar eruption (video)

By Daisy Dobrijevic published

We could expect even more eruptions from this sunspot region in the coming days as it rotates to face Earth.

The Sun
Series of images showing the sun during a partial solar eclipse.

Solar eclipse 2025: Live updates

By Daisy Dobrijevic last updated

Stay up-to-date with the latest news on the annular solar eclipse on Oct. 2.

Eclipses
A dark blue and white sphere surrounded by a dark green oval and a wider light green shell

'Killer electrons' play pinball with space weather around Earth

By Robert Lea published

"Killer electrons" stashed in radiation belts around Earth could be dislodged by lightning to create a game of "cosmic pinball" that influences space weather around our planet.

Earth
NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory captured this image of a X1.4 solar flare — seen as the bright flash on the right — on Oct. 9, 2024.

Solar storm bombarding Earth now may reach 'extreme' levels, sparking auroras down to Alabama and straining hurricane-weakened power grids

By Tariq Malik published

A severe solar storm sparked by an intense flare from the sun could reach "extreme" levels as it bombards Earth, NOAA officials warned Thursday (Oct. 10).

The Sun
NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory captured this view of an X2.1 solar flare erupting from the sun on Oct. 7, 2024.

The sun fires off another powerful X flare, triggering radio blackouts across the Americas (video)

By Meredith Garofalo published

An X2.1 solar flare erupted from the prolific sunspot AR 3842 on Monday (Oct. 7), triggering radio blackout across North and South America.

The Sun
close up view of the sun shows the massive x class solar flare erupting as the sunspot region points straight at Earth.

Biggest solar flare since 2017 erupts from sun and Earth is in the firing line (video)

By Daisy Dobrijevic published

On Oct. 3, the sun released the most powerful solar flare this solar cycle, a colossal X9.05 eruption — and it's heading for Earth.

The Sun
The bottom have of a fiery green sphere

Equinox increases chances of geomagnetic storm from solar eruption this week

By Robert Lea published

The sunspot AR3835 erupted on Sunday (Sept. 22) during Earth's equinox when even a glancing blow can cause a geomagnetic storm.

The Sun
Northern lights appear over a lake in Minnesota in a dark sky overhead shining rainbow of Aurora light with trees below.

Aurora alert: Powerful geomagnetic storm could spark northern lights across US and Europe tonight

By Daisy Dobrijevic published

Northern lights could be visible over mid-latitudes across the US and Europe tonight, Sept. 16. A geomagnetic storm watch has been issued by NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center.

Aurora Borealis
a bright fuzzy low horrizon like a spattering of clouds, a blank black skly with a singular shining point, and what looks like rings crossing on the upper left.

Hot 'Salsa:' European satellite burns up in landmark controlled reentry (photo)

By Sharmila Kuthunur published

The European Space Agency's Salsa satellite safely deorbited on Sunday (Sept. 8) over a hand-picked region of the South Pacific Ocean.

Satellites
a fiery eruption from the sun envelopes earth and a t-shaped spacecraft orbiting above it

'A lot has changed': NOAA is rewriting the book on how to rank solar storms

By Meredith Garofalo published

NOAA is researching how to update its Space Weather Scales and how it can better communicate its space weather forecasts with the public and government agencies.

The Sun
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