Huge sunspot, Huge Flare

AR1339, is one of the biggest sunspots in many years. The active region rotated over the sun's eastern limb two days ago and now it is turning toward Eart

Sunspot 1339 poses a growing threat for X-class solar flares. Credit: SDO/HMI

The sunspot has already unleashed one X-flare on Nov. 3rd around 2027 UT. A movie from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory shows the extreme ultraviolet flash: 

A cloud of plasma or "CME" raced away from the blast site at 1100 km/s. The CME is not heading for Earth. It is, however, heading for Mercury and Venus.