Sun unleashes colossal X4.2 solar flare, knocking out radio signals across Africa and Europe (video)

two panel image on the left is the giant sunspot close up and on the right the huge x flare that was released today

An impulsive X4.2 solar flare sparked strong radio blackouts across Africa and Europe as the giant sunspot continues to rage. (Image credit: Left: Mark Johnston, Right: NASA SDO)

The sun is certainly putting on quite the show this week. Earlier today (Feb. 4), it fired off another powerful solar flare, this time an X4.2, briefly disrupting radio communications across parts of western Africa and southern Europe as intense radiation flooded Earth's upper atmosphere.

The impulsive flare peaked at 7:13 a.m. EST (1213 GMT). It erupted from volatile sunspot group AR4366, a rapidly growing, magnetically complex region that has been unleashing a near-continuous barrage of potent solar flares since roaring into existence just days ago.

X-class solar flares are the most powerful type of solar flare and are capable of triggering widespread radio disturbances. They can also, at times, be accompanied by coronal mass ejections (CMEs) — vast plumes of solar plasma and magnetic field that can spark geomagnetic storms and impressive auroras if Earth-directed. However, no CME signatures have been detected in imagery following this latest X4.2 eruption, according to NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center.

Yet for all its fireworks, sunspot region 4366 is beginning to look like it has plenty of bark but very little bite. While the region has fired off multiple powerful solar flares in rapid succession, most have failed to hurl significant amounts of solar material into space. So far, only an earlier X8.4 flare was accompanied by a slow-moving CME, and that just landed at Earth with a glancing blow.

This fleeting encounter could still have mild effects, as NOAA forecasters say minor (G1) geomagnetic storm conditions are possible later today or tomorrow.

radio blackout map showing strong blackouts over Africa and Europe. — Radio blackouts during the X4.2 solar flare. (Image credit: NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center)

You can see it for yourself!

Sunspot region 4633 is huge! At roughly 15 Earths wide in its current configuration, the behemoth is large enough to see from Earth using solar eclipse glasses!

The dramatic close-up image below captures the immense sunspot region responsible for this week's outbursts. Astrophotographer Mark Johnston captured the scene from Arizona, U.S on Feb. 1.

"I had excellent seeing that morning. My telescope was set up looking across an alpine lake at the sun, which smooths air currents and makes the view very steady," Johnston told Space.com in an email.

two panel image of close up view of the huge sunspot on the sun. — A two-panel view of active region AR4633, the flare-producing sunspot currently facing Earth. The left panel shows the region in hydrogen-alpha light, revealing chromosphere flare ribbons and fine magnetic fibrils, while the right panel shows the same area in visible light 30 minutes later, highlighting sunspot structure, a plasma light bridge, and granulation across the sun's surface. The image was captured Feb. 1 from Arizona using a 160mm refractor. (Image credit: Mark Johnston)

With the region still facing us and showing no signs of calming down, space weather forecasters will be keeping a close eye on whether this noisy sunspot will eventually pack a more powerful punch.

Daisy Dobrijevic joined Space.com in February 2022 having previously worked for our sister publication All About Space magazine as a staff writer. Before joining us, Daisy completed an editorial internship with the BBC Sky at Night Magazine and worked at the National Space Centre in Leicester, U.K., where she enjoyed communicating space science to the public. In 2021, Daisy completed a PhD in plant physiology and also holds a Master's in Environmental Science, she is currently based in Nottingham, U.K. Daisy is passionate about all things space, with a penchant for solar activity and space weather. She has a strong interest in astrotourism and loves nothing more than a good northern lights chase!

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