On Wednesday (May 14), a solar flare caused disruptions in communication systems across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.
According to Space.com, the flare extended over 1 million kilometers — equivalent to the distance from Earth to the Moon and back, twice.
“I’m not sure what to call this flare — maybe a ‘bird wing’ or ‘angel wing’ event? Either way, it’s truly something to see!” wrote Vincent Ledvina, a well-known aurora chaser, in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
The X2.7-class flare is the strongest of 2025 so far and originated in region AR4087. The phenomenon caused R3-level radio blackouts in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East — regions that were in direct sunlight at the time of the event.
According to NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center, solar flares of this magnitude are rare. Flares are classified from A to X, with this one falling on the lower end of the highest category, experts say.
Photo and video: X @Vincent_Ledvina. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
Not sure what to call this eruption, maybe the “bird-wing” or “angel-wing” event? Either way, it is truly something to witness! Look at how large the blast is off the Sun’s northern hemisphere. I could watch this animation loop for hours! pic.twitter.com/QZjcDPnFyE
— Vincent Ledvina (@Vincent_Ledvina) May 13, 2025
