Scientists Warn The Sun Could Be About To Produce A ‘Superflare’

InnovationScienceScientists Warn The Sun Could Be About To Produce A ‘Superflare’ByJamie Carter,Senior Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. An award-winning reporter writing about stargazing and the night sky.Follow AuthorMay 24, 2026, 04:30am EDTNASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory captured this image of a solar flare — seen as the bright flash toward the upper middle — on Feb. 4, 2026.NASA/SDOScientists studying nearly 50 years of solar activity data say there is a heightened risk for extremely powerful solar eruptions known as “superflares” — events capable of disrupting satellites, power grids and communications systems, and potentially endangering astronauts. The research, published in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, proposes a forecasting system for “S-class” solar flares, defined as solar eruptions exceeding X10 intensity on the standard scale.The biggest solar flare recorded so far in 2026 is a massive X8.3-class solar flare on Feb. 1.ForbesBiggest Sunspots In Years Turn Toward Earth — Expect Northern LightsBy Jamie CarterOverdue For An 'S-Class’ Solar FlareThe sun is currently waning from its “solar maximum” period — the peak of its roughly 11-year cycle when its magnetic activity intensifies. Scientists at NOAA and NASA estimate the solar maximum occurred in October 2024. Sporadic intense magnetic activity is often observed in the two years following solar maximum.The study suggests the sun may be overdue for an “S-class” solar flare during the current Solar Cycle 25. Researchers analyzed data collected between 1975 and 2025 from the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites and identified 37 S-class superflares across previous solar cycles. According to the study, every solar cycle since the late 1970s has produced at least one Earth-directed superflare — except the current one.MORE FOR YOUThe findings were published by an international team led by scientists at the National Auton...