Scientists have recorded a sustained increase in solar activity.

      The official Telegram channel of the Laboratory of Solar Astronomy at IKI RAS clarifies that the increase in solar activity will continue for at least a few more days and will become a significant factor in space weather. New groups of sunspots are forming on the Sun’s eastern limb, and an intensification of the magnetic field is being recorded.

      Scientists note that the rise in energy release is noticeable even in images: the northeastern part of the Sun looks "like a Christmas tree." On the morning of September 29 a large M3.6-class flare was recorded there — the second-strongest in the current series. Each of these events was accompanied by a plasma ejection toward the plane of the planets. Calculations for yesterday’s burst showed that the flow passed by Earth; there are no data yet for today’s event, however, specialists point out that the active regions are at the edge of the disk, so the likelihood of a direct hit is also low.

      Researchers assess that the impact on Earth remains moderate so far precisely because the activity is offset from the Sun–Earth line. The first noticeable effects may begin on September 30. At the same time, the probability of X-class flares — the highest-level flares capable of affecting the planet even from their current position — is considered low.