At night, with a pause of less than 5 hours, a second X flare occurred on the Sun

Last night, while everyone in the European part of the country and the continent was asleep (although some were probably still awake), instruments recorded a second consecutive high-level X-ray flare on the Sun. The interval between the maximum of the first and second events was approximately 4.5 hours. The maximum radiation was recorded at 01:01 Moscow time. The previous flare was caught the day before, on November 4, with a peak at 20:34.

The received images show that the source of the explosion is not related to either of the two active centers that have emerged on the side facing Earth, but belongs to an as yet unknown third active region located lower, in the southern hemisphere, beyond the edge of the solar disk. Suspicions that something was emerging from the unseen side toward Earth arose yesterday, when the peaks of magnetic loops became visible above the edge, but frankly, I thought there couldn't be anything serious there. Just three weeks ago, when this region of the Sun was just setting behind the western horizon, there was essentially nothing there. The other activity centers, including region 4274, which produced the X-flare yesterday, were already there at that time.

In this case, the event on the far side of the Sun cannot affect Earth in any way, and it can be viewed more or less calmly. Aside from the natural interest in what lies beyond the edge (and the answer to this question will be obtained in a couple of days, when the region becomes visible from Earth), some general conclusions can be drawn. Frankly, until now, the current surge in activity was considered relatively random. Two active centers have formed on the star, which will sooner or later fizzle out, and everything will return to normal. The fact that a third center capable of producing X-class flares has formed on the Sun in a short period of time, located in a different, southern hemisphere, transforms the current increase in activity from random to more systematic, and, accordingly, possibly more long-term.

It can also be noted that the very fact of the Sun producing two X-class flares in a row is quite rare. Over the past quarter of the 21st century, just over 240 X-class flares have been registered on the Sun, meaning that, on average, they occur at a rate of less than once per month. This year, the last time something similar was observed was on January 3rd and 4th, when three X-class flares occurred in 24 hours. But even then, the intervals were about 10-12 hours. From this perspective, the event that occurred is unique at least on a yearly scale, and most likely over a longer period of time as well.