Sunspot 1466 released M1 solar flare

Sunspot 1466 located in the northern hemisphere, produced an M1.0 Solar Flare at 08:24 UTC Friday morning. Despite all of the Sunspots this month, this was only the second M-Class flare in April.

NOAA/SWPC issued R1 Radio Blackout alert which means that satellite systems may experience significant charging resulting in increased risk to satellite systems, weak or minor degradation of HF radio communication on sunlit side, occasional loss of radio contact and low-frequency navigation signals could degraded for brief intervals. R1 level is rated as minor. Also Type II Radio Emission warning is issued. Type II emissions occur in association with eruptions on the sun and typically indicate a coronal mass ejection is associated with a flare event.

On April 26th around 06:00 UTC, an active region on the farside of the sun broke the calm with a powerful eruption. The same active region has since hurled three CMEs into space. The clouds will certainly miss Earth, but they might hit Mercury, which appears to be in the line of fire.