New Delhi: A long duration X1.2 solar flare erupted from the Sun at 09:19 UTC on 10 November. The flare originated from a cluster of sunspots designated as Active Region 4274 by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) or Sunspot Group 687 by the Solar Influences Data Analysis Centre (SIDC) operated by the Royal Observatory of Belgium. The cluster of sunspots rotated into view last week, shooting off an X1.8 flare , the first X-class eruption in June. This flare was not aimed at the Earth. However, while crossing the central meridian, AR 4274 fired off an X1.7 flare on 09 November and the X1.2 flare yesterday, both of which were aimed straight at the Earth.

Both the flares caused a radio blackout on the sunlit side of the Earth. The region grew in size and comple

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