{"id":825534,"date":"2026-08-25T17:16:14","date_gmt":"2026-08-25T17:16:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/825534\/"},"modified":"2026-08-25T17:16:14","modified_gmt":"2026-08-25T17:16:14","slug":"sun-fires-powerful-m6-9-solar-flare-and-cme-toward-earth-could-it-boost-northern-lights-chances-this-week","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/825534\/","title":{"rendered":"Sun fires powerful M6.9 solar flare and CME toward Earth \u2014 could it boost northern lights chances this week?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Today (Aug. 25), the sun unleashed a powerful M6.9 solar flare from a restless Earth-facing sunspot, hurling a coronal mass ejection (CME) into space \u2014 and Earth could potentially be in the firing line.<\/p>\n

The M6.98 solar flare erupted from the active sunspot region 4513 and peaked at 6 a.m. EDT (1000 GMT), according to SpaceWeatherLive<\/a>. 4513 has been particularly active over the last 24 hours, firing off a barrage of solar flares<\/a> including five powerful M-class eruptions.<\/p>\n

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Solar flares are ranked by strength into five classes \u2014 A, B, C, M and X \u2014 with each class 10 times more powerful than the one before it. M-class flares are the second-strongest category, sitting just below the most powerful X-class eruptions.<\/p>\n

The eruption also triggered a moderate (R2) radio blackout across the sunlit side of Earth, affecting high-frequency radio communications over parts of Africa, Europe and the Arctic.<\/p>\n

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High-frequency radio blackouts from the M-class solar flare on Aug. 25. (Image credit: NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center)CME incoming<\/p>\n

Now, all eyes are on the CME<\/a> launched during today’s M6.9 eruption.<\/p>\n

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Early modelling suggests Earth could receive a glancing blow from the CME on Friday (Aug. 28). According to aurora chaser Jure Atanackov<\/a>, NASA’s model predicts the CME could reach Earth at around 6-7 a.m. EDT (1000-1100 GMT), with an uncertainty of around seven hours.<\/p>\n

Here we go. This is the NASA M2M WSA-ENLIL+Cone model prediction for the CME. A glancing blow, as indicated by lopsided EUV dimming. The arrival is expected on August 28th (Friday) around 10-11h UTC (+\/-7h). Slow, not expecting much from this one. https:\/\/t.co\/GmyhSbxTGn pic.twitter.com\/EkoZBmyKYKAugust 25, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

Though Atanackov described the CME as slow-moving and said he isn’t expecting much from the glancing encounter, there’s another piece of the space weather puzzle that could make things interesting for aurora chasers.<\/p>\n

\"Space\"<\/p>\n

According to the Solar Influences Data Analysis Center <\/a>(SIDC), a high-speed stream of solar wind from a positive-polarity coronal hole is expected to begin influencing Earth from Aug. 27. SIDC forecasts unsettled to active geomagnetic conditions, with a chance of minor storm levels as the fast solar wind arrives.<\/p>\n

If the glancing CME arrival coincides with the high-speed solar wind stream, the two influences could work together to ramp up geomagnetic activity and potentially enhance aurora<\/a> activity.<\/p>\n

How much of an impact the CME ultimately has will depend on its exact arrival time and, crucially, the orientation of its magnetic field when it reaches Earth. A strong southward magnetic field would interact more effectively with Earth’s magnetic field<\/a>, increasing the chances of stronger geomagnetic activity.<\/p>\n

We’ll be keeping a close eye on the latest models and space weather forecasts as Friday approaches and will update this story as more information becomes available.<\/p>\n