A major, long-duration solar flare measuring X14 erupted on the Sun\u2019s far side around 00:00 UTC on July 23, 2024, producing a full halo coronal mass ejection (CME). The event sent energetic particles throughout the solar system, including Earth, where it caused an S1 \u2013 Minor solar radiation storm.<\/strong><\/p>\n On Earth, we experienced an S1 \u2013 Minor solar radiation storm starting at 02:50 UTC on July 23 and lasting for the remainder of the UTC day.<\/p>\n While only minor effects were observed on Earth due to the location of the source region, this flare was estimated as X14 by the STIX X-ray telescope aboard ESA\u2019s Solar Orbiter, making it the strongest solar flare of the current solar cycle, Solar Cycle 25.<\/p>\n George Ho, a space physicist at Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) and the principal investigator of the Suprathermal Ion Spectrograph (SIS) \u2014 one of four sensors in an instrument suite that measures the composition of energetic electrons, protons, and heavy ions from the Sun \u2014 said \u2018this was a big, 360-degree event\u2019 that also had a high impact on planet Mars.<\/p>\n The region that produced the July 23 X14 solar flare will rotate into Earth\u2019s view next week.<\/p>\n Solar Orbiter also detected an X12 solar flare on May 20, 2024, which was previously the strongest flare of Solar Cycle 25 and among the top 10 flares since 1996, and an X10 on July 17, 2023 \u2014 both from the far side of the Sun.<\/p>\n The largest solar flare detected on the Earth-facing side of the Sun was X8.9 on May 14, 2024, just three days after a series of CMEs hit Earth, causing a G5 \u2013 Extreme geomagnetic storm \u2014 the strongest since 2003.<\/p>\n This geomagnetic storm forced thousands of satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) to begin mass maneuvers in response to the sudden increase in atmospheric density after the CMEs impacted Earth.<\/p>\n On Earth, such powerful solar flares can cause widespread disruptions to power grids, satellite communications, and navigation systems, as seen in events like the Great Quebec Blackout in March 1989.<\/p>\n Featured image credit: ESA\/Solar Orbiter<\/em><\/p>\n Monday, July 22, 2024<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n Tuesday, July 16, 2024<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n Tuesday, July 16, 2024<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n Monday, July 15, 2024<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n Sunday, July 14, 2024<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n Friday, June 28, 2024<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n
![\"STIX](\"https:\/\/watchers.news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/STIX-solar-orbiter-detects-x14-solar-flare-on-july-23-2024-plot-1024x326.webp\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n![\"cme](\"https:\/\/watchers.news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/cme-produced-by-x14-solar-flare-on-july-23-2024.webp\")
![\"goes-proton-flux-5-minut](\"https:\/\/watchers.news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/goes-proton-flux-5-minut-july-23-2024-s1-radiation-storm-after-x14-farside-solar-flare-1024x576.webp\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\nTwo Earth-directed CMEs, G2 \u2013 Moderate geomagnetic storm watch in effect<\/h3>\n
Intense, long-duration heatwave affecting SE Europe<\/h3>\n
Powerful X1.9 solar flare erupts, producing strong CME<\/h3>\n
Rare Sudden Stratospheric Warming event detected over Antarctica<\/h3>\n
Major X1.2 solar flare erupts from AR 3738<\/h3>\n
G4 \u2013 Severe geomagnetic storm in progress<\/h3>\n
Russian RESURS-P1 satellite breaks in orbit, releasing over 180 pieces of trackable debris and forcing ISS astronauts to take shelter<\/h3>\n