Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Space
Space
Science
Daisy Dobrijevic

Sun fires off 2nd-strongest flare of 2025, sparking radio blackouts across Africa

Coronal mass ejection released during the X-class solar flare eruption. (Image credit: NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center)

The sun fired off another major eruption today (Nov. 14), unleashing an intense X4-class flare, the second-most powerful eruption of 2025 so far, from the same hyperactive sunspot region that produced this year's record-setting X5 blast just days ago.

The flare peaked at 3:30 a.m. EST (0830 GMT) from sunspot AR4274, according to NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center. The eruption triggered strong (R3) radio blackouts across the sunlit side of Earth, with the most severe disruptions concentrated over central and eastern Africa.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.