A massive solar flare has raised concerns about severe geomagnetic storms that could reach Earth on Tuesday, according to Russia’s Space Research Institute, part of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
The institute warned that Earth may experience strong to severe magnetic storms classified at levels G3 and G4.
A G3 storm is considered strong, while G4 represents a highly intense geomagnetic event.
In a statement published on its official Telegram channel, the institute explained that the storms were triggered by a powerful solar flare that erupted on Sunday.
The effects of the flare are expected to reach Earth during daylight hours today. Scientists added that the minimum latitude for aurora visibility could drop to 50 degrees, allowing the Northern Lights to be seen in regions farther south than usual.
According to the Solar Astronomy Laboratory, the flare affected a vast central region of the Sun, spanning nearly 500,000 kilometers.
The laboratory released new footage showing an X-class solar flare with a horizontal width of approximately 450,000 kilometers, around 35 times the diameter of Earth.
The flare originated from solar region AR 4341, located near the center of the visible solar disk.
It reached its peak at 21:09 Moscow time on Sunday and was classified as X1.95, making it the strongest solar flare recorded since November 2025.
It was also the first X-class flare observed in 2026.
Sergey Bogachev, head of the Solar Astronomy Laboratory, noted that despite a relative decline in overall solar activity, powerful flares remain possible throughout 2026.
He added that several strong M-class flares have already been recorded since the beginning of the year.
Solar flares are categorized into five classes based on X-ray intensity: A, B, C, M, and X, with X being the most powerful.
Such events can trigger geomagnetic storms capable of disrupting power grids, satellite operations, shortwave radio communications, and navigation systems, as well as causing voltage fluctuations in industrial networks.
Increased solar activity may also expand the visibility of auroras.
However, scientists stress that research into the effects of geomagnetic storms on human health remains limited and inconclusive.
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