[Regnum] The most powerful solar flare since December 8th occurred on the Sun. This was reported on December 27 by the press service of the Solar Astronomy Laboratory of the Space Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
An M5.1 flare was detected on the morning of December 27 at the eastern edge of the Sun. Its power was approximately 50% of the highest magnitude X threshold. Astronomers recorded the maximum emission at 4:50 AM Moscow time.
This event is the most powerful since December 8, when the Sun experienced its most recent X1.1 flare.
The flares of December 8 and 27 likely occurred in the same region of the Sun. At the beginning of December, this region was located on the Sun's western edge. Over the course of 19 days, the Sun completed approximately two-thirds of its rotation. After passing along the far side, this same center of activity returned to the side visible from Earth—now it's on the eastern edge.
The expected peak of flare activity may occur during the New Year holidays. Scientists believe the likelihood of magnetic storms and bright auroras forming on New Year's Eve is low. This is due to the significant distance of active regions from the Sun-Earth line.