X2.8 Solar Flare and CME (12/14/2023) -

The largest solar flare of the current solar cycle 25, a major X2.8 event, was observed around AR 3514 at 17:02 UTC (12/14/2023). A type II radio emission with an estimated velocity of 2118 km/s was recorded. The solar flare produced a full halo coronal mass ejection (CME) that appears headed mostly to the west, however an Earth directed component appears evident in the latest coronagraph imagery. An impact past Earth will be possible within the next 48-72 hours.