[SFDXA] X-CLASS SOLAR FLARE

[Bill]

*SOLAR PROTON STORM IN PROGRESS:*Energetic protons from the sun are 
raining down on Earth. They were accelerated in our direction by 
yesterday's powerful X-class solar flare (described below). This is 
called a "solar proton storm," and currently it iscategory S2 
<https://www.spaceweather.com/glossary/s_classes.jpg>. Shortwave radios 
inside the Arctic Circle aren't working right now due to this storm, 
which is causing apolar cap absorption event 
<https://www.windows2universe.org/spaceweather/polar_com.html>.

*SIGNIFICANT X-CLASS SOLAR FLARE:*Sunspot 4341 erupted on Jan. 18th 
(1809 UTC), producing an X1.9-class solar flare. The explosion lasted 
for hours, which makes this flare even more powerful than than its 
"X1.9" rating would suggest. This video from NASA's Solar Dynamics 
Observatory says it all:

<https://www.spaceweather.com/images2026/18jan26/x2_teal_anim.gif>

Radiation from the flare ionized Earth's atmosphere over the 
Americas,especially South America 
<https://www.spaceweather.com/images2026/18jan26/blackoutmap.jpg>. This 
caused a shortwave radio blackout that may have lasted more than an hour 
at frequencies below 10 MHz.

Of greater interest is the CME. The explosion launcheda full halo CME 
<https://www.spaceweather.com/images2026/18jan26/halocme_strip.gif>with 
a significant Earth-directed component.NASA models 
<https://www.spaceweather.com/images2026/18jan26/nasamodel.gif>predict 
that it will reach Earth during the early hours of Jan. 20th. The impact 
could cause a strongG3 
<https://www.spaceweather.com/glossary/g3.jpg>-class geomagnetic storm 
with mid-latitude auroras. Stay tuned for updated forecast models.*CME 
impact alerts:*SMS Tex <https://spaceweatheralerts.com/>t 
<https://spaceweatheralerts.com/>

*more images:*from Eliot Herman 
<https://spaceweathergallery2.com/indiv_upload.php?upload_id=230159>of 
Tucson AZ;from Brian Colville 
<https://spaceweathergallery2.com/indiv_upload.php?upload_id=230164>of 
Cambray, ON Canada


*Solar wind*
speed:*292.4*km/sec
density:*2.94*protons/cm^3
more data:ACE 
<https://services.swpc.noaa.gov/images/ace-mag-swepam-24-hour.gif>,DSCOVR 
<https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/products/real-time-solar-wind>
Updated: Today at 0333 UT

*X-ray Solar Flares*
6-hr max:*M1*1119 UT Jan19
24-hr:*X1*1809 UTJan18
explanation <https://spaceweather.com/glossary/flareclasses.html>|more 
data <https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/products/goes-x-ray-flux>
Updated: Today at: 1535 UT

Daily Sun: 19 Jan 
26<https://www.spaceweather.com/images2026/19jan26/hmi1898.gif>
*Expand:*labels 
<https://www.spaceweather.com/images2026/19jan26/hmi1898.gif>|no labels 
<https://www.spaceweather.com/images2026/19jan26/hmi4096_blank.jpg>
Sunspot 4341 has a 'beta-gamma-delta' magnetic field that poses a threat 
forX-class 
<https://www.spaceweather.com/glossary/flareclasses.html>solar flares. 
Credit: NASA/SDO

*Sunspot number: 140*
What is the sunspot number?
<https://spaceweather.com/glossary/sunspotnumber.html>Updated 19 Jan 2026

https://www.spaceweather.com
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.qth.net/pipermail/sfdxa/attachments/20260119/2e798537/attachment-0001.html>