M4.7 solar flare

Wednesday, 23 December 2015 01:14 UTC

Strong M4.71 solar #flare from #sunspot region 12473 - Follow live on https://t.co/XHATH0OOfT pic.twitter.com/EtwLfgdimo

— SpaceWeatherLive (@_SpaceWeather_) 23 december 2015

While it was sunspot region 2472 that was active on the far side and the limb, it is now sunspot region 2743 that took over the show and is producing occasional C and M-class solar flares with this M4.7 solar flare being the strongest thus far. It looks like a very eruptive event and a major coronal mass ejection is possible. It is unlikely to be directed towards Earth due to the location of sunspot region 2743 near the limb but of course we will keep you updated on this event later today. We will have to see SOHO LASCO coronagraph imagery later today in order to judge if we could get a glancing blow from this eruption.

ALERT: Type IV Radio Emission
Begin Time: 2015 Dec 23 0039 UTC

SUMMARY: 10cm Radio Burst
Begin Time: 2015 Dec 23 0057 UTC
Maximum Time: 2015 Dec 23 0057 UTC
End Time: 2015 Dec 23 0058 UTC
Duration: 1 minutes
Peak Flux: 140 sfu
Latest Penticton Noon Flux: 130 sfu

ALERT: Type II Radio Emission
Begin Time: 2015 Dec 23 0036 UTC
Estimated Velocity: 1318 km/s

Sunspot region 2473 continued to grow yesterday and increased in magnetic complexity. It is a fairly compact group with a magnetic delta structure in it's intermediate layout. Sunspot region 2473 has a complex Beta-Delta layout and more M-class solar flares are likely.