The solar region that set a record for the current century is returning to Earth.

The Sun has completed its third consecutive spotless day, which will likely be its final one. The deepest dip in solar activity since 2021 will likely be interrupted most dramatically tomorrow or the day after—spot group 4366, which set a 21st-century record for the number of strong flares earlier this month, is returning to Earth from behind the eastern edge of the Sun.

The current state of the active center is completely unclear. After six X-level flares and approximately 70 M-level flares (the highest number in this century) occurred there in early February, the region retreated to the far side of the Sun and is completely hidden from observation. No spacecraft are currently on the far side of the Sun. At the time of the spot group's departure, clear signs of its destruction were observed—so significant that it was doubtful whether the region would even survive the transit across the far side of the Sun. However, since yesterday evening, when this center was expected to approach the Sun's far side, a rapid increase in background radiation has been observed. Furthermore, signs of something large emerging from behind the eastern horizon are visible to the naked eye in images coming from space.

The likelihood of a second, equally aggressive surge in activity, similar to that observed during the first passage of group 4366, is currently considered almost zero, although time will tell. But at the very least, this will give way to a slight thaw in the solar winter.