Sun’s “Energy-Filled” Active Region Turns Toward Earth

An active region on the far side of the Sun that produced powerful, top-class solar flares is now rotating toward Earth, according to the Solar Astronomy Laboratory of the Space Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IKI RAS).

“The active region AR4246 — which caused nearly a tenfold increase in solar activity in mid-October and later generated several X-class flares on the far side of the Sun — is now returning to face Earth. Tomorrow, as the region moves into full view, its sunspots will become visible. In three to four days, the ejected matter and energy may begin reaching Earth,” the report said.

Currently, only the tops of magnetic loops, rising about 100–200 thousand kilometers above the solar limb, are visible. The appearance of these signs indicates that solar flare radiation will soon intensify.

Scientists note that the part of the Sun turning toward Earth is “bursting with excess energy.” On October 30, major eruptions were detected on the far side of the Sun, closer to the equator — from a region located below the active center already partially visible from Earth.