Sun Unleashes M5.7 Flare and CME, Causing Atlantic Radio Blackout

10 articles · Updated · Space.com · May 12

NOAA said the May 10 eruption peaked at 9:39 a.m. EDT from sunspot AR4436, launching a CME that could brush Earth early May 13 and trigger a minor G1 geomagnetic storm.
The M5.7 flare caused a radio blackout over the Atlantic Ocean after X-ray and ultraviolet radiation ionized the upper atmosphere, disrupting high-frequency signals used by aviators, mariners and amateur radio operators.
Most of the CME appears to be racing east of Earth, but forecasters at NOAA and the U.K. Met Office say the plume's edge could still enhance auroras across the northern U.S. and the U.K.
AR4436 is rotating deeper into Earth's strike zone, raising the odds that any new eruptions in coming days will be Earth-directed; agencies also see chances for additional M-class and possible X-class flares from AR4436 and AR4432.
The expected effects are far weaker than the May 10, 2024 G5 storm that pushed auroras into places such as southern Florida and Mexico, but the timing is drawing fresh attention from skywatchers.

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