Active region 4274 (AR4274) erupted again, producing a strong X4.0-class solar flare followed by a coronal mass ejection (CME). NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center says northern parts of the contiguous U.S. could possibly see auroras Friday evening, depending on the CME's trajectory. AR4274 is rotating toward the Sun's far side and cannot affect Earth now, though the Sun's ~27-day rotation could return it to a geoeffective position. This activity is consistent with the Sun nearing the peak of its ~11-year cycle.
Sun Erupts Again: Powerful X4.0 Solar Flare from AR4274 Sparks Aurora Watch
Active region 4274 (AR4274) erupted again, producing a strong X4.0-class solar flare followed by a coronal mass ejection (CME). NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center says northern parts of the contiguous U.S. could possibly see auroras Friday evening, depending on the CME's trajectory. AR4274 is rotating toward the Sun's far side and cannot affect Earth now, though the Sun's ~27-day rotation could return it to a geoeffective position. This activity is consistent with the Sun nearing the peak of its ~11-year cycle.
08:10 AM, 11/15/2025Science
Sun Unleashes Powerful X4.0 Flare from Active Region AR4274
The same active region that produced auroras visible as far south as Mexico earlier this week erupted again, releasing a strong X4.0-class solar flare on Friday. This was a parting blast from dynamic active region 4274 (AR4274), which is now rotating toward the Sun's far side.
What happened: The X-class flare was followed by a coronal mass ejection (CME) — an expulsion of plasma and magnetic field from the Sun. If this CME intersects Earth's magnetosphere, it can trigger geomagnetic storms and light up auroras at high latitudes.
Will it affect Earth? It’s uncertain. CMEs travel at different speeds and can take anywhere from about one to several days to reach Earth. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Space Weather Prediction Center says northern parts of the contiguous U.S. could possibly see auroras Friday evening, depending on the CME's speed and trajectory.
Because AR4274 is rotating onto the Sun's far side, it cannot directly impact Earth right now. However, the Sun's roughly 27-day rotation could carry the active region back into a geoeffective position when it returns to the near side.
Context: These recent outbursts are consistent with the Sun nearing the peak of its roughly 11-year solar activity cycle. The exact timing of solar maximum and minimum is typically determined months later and is based on sunspot counts, but powerful eruptions often continue into the early years of the cycle's declining phase.
Watch updates from NOAA and other space weather agencies for revised forecasts and aurora alerts.