Sunspot AR-1476 Continues to Grow and Evolve, Unleashes M5.7 Solar Flare This Morning

Current Image of the sun. Sunspot 1476 can be seen vividly close to the center of view. Image-Courtesy of Solar Dynamics Observatory

Sunspot AR-1476 is currently on its 5th day of a two week transit across the face of the sun. The "Monster Sunspot" has a 65% chance of more M-Class solar flares and a 10% chance of X-Class flares within the next 24 hours according to NOAA forecasters.

An alert has been issued by the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center in response to an M5.7 solar flare that occured this morning. The alert focuses on an impact area primarily poleward of 65 degrees Geomagnetic Latitude. According to NOAA, weak power grid fluctuations are expected. 65 degrees Geomagnetic Latitude in North America encompasses only the most northern portions of Alaska and Canada.

STEREO beacon data, which came on line earlier today indicated a possible small coronal mass ejection.

Big Bear Solar Observatory has upgraded the sun's solar activity from moderate yesterday to high today. AR-1476 continues to grow. Four M-Class solar flares have occured since yesterday. The last larger solar flare occured at 04:11 Universal time.

The Geophysical Institute predicts auroras can be viewed as far south as Juneau tonight.