Sun activity intensifies with flares, CMEs as NASA tracks comet passing between Earth and Sun

• Photo courtesy of NASA

The Sun entered a more active phase in the third week of April, producing multiple solar flares and a surge of coronal mass ejections (CMEs), according to monitoring by NASA.

Observations from the agency’s Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) showed a six M-class flares during the April 17 to 23 period, alongside 34 of CMEs and a minor geomagnetic disturbances. While moderate in strength, M-class flares can still trigger brief radio blackouts and localized impacts on communication systems.

Solar activity continued to build shortly after the reporting window, with stronger X-class flares recorded in the following days. These high-intensity eruptions, the most powerful category, are capable of causing more significant disruptions, including high-frequency radio interference and potential effects on satellite operations.

Video courtesy of NASA

CMEs, which involve large expulsions of plasma and magnetic fields from the Sun, remain a key concern when Earth-directed. These events can interact with Earth’s magnetosphere, potentially affecting GPS navigation, satellite services, and power infrastructure depending on their strength and trajectory.

Beyond solar activity, scientists are also tracking Comet PANSTARRS (C/2025 R3), which recently monitored passing between the Sun and Earth. The comet is being observed by the SOHO spacecraft, a joint mission of NASA and the European Space Agency.

Using its coronagraph instrument, SOHO has been capturing the comet as it moves across the Sun’s outer atmosphere, offering a rare observational window as the object crosses the spacecraft’s field of view. Additional imagery is expected as the comet continues its path through the inner solar system.

The latest uptick in solar activity aligns with the Sun’s ongoing progression toward the peak of its 11-year solar cycle, a phase typically marked by more frequent flares, CMEs, and geomagnetic disturbances. As reliance on satellite-based systems continues to grow, space weather events like these remain closely monitored for their potential real-world impact.