The sun has unleashed an intense burst of activity over the past 24 hours, producing at least 18 M-class flares and three X-class flares, including an X8.3—the strongest solar flare of 2026 so far.

The eruptions originated from rapidly growing sunspot region AR4366, described by scientists as a “solar flare factory.”

The X8.3 flare caused strong radio blackouts across parts of the South Pacific, affecting shortwave communications in Australia and New Zealand.

Early analysis suggests a related coronal mass ejection may deliver only a glancing blow to Earth around Feb. 5, potentially boosting geomagnetic activity and aurora chances at high latitudes, Space.com has reported.

Forecasters warn that more eruptions are likely as the active sunspot continues rotating into an Earth-facing position.