MOSCOW, Jan 20 (Bernama-Sputnik/RIA Novosti) -- A magnetic storm that began on Earth after the strongest solar flare of 2026 has reached the G4.7 level and is approaching the extreme G5 level, the Solar Astronomy Laboratory of the Space Research Institute (IKI) of the Russian Academy of Sciences said, reported Sputnik/RIA Novosti.
Scientists previously reported the onset of a magnetic storm on Earth after a stream of plasma erupted from the Sun following this year's strongest flare reached the planet.
"The magnetic storm has intensified to G4.7. If the solar wind properties remain unchanged, it will reach the highest G5 level within one to two hours," the lab said on Telegram.
The day before, the first solar flare of 2026 of the highest X-class occurred on the Sun. It was assigned an X1.95 magnitude.
The Laboratory also reported that the solar proton flux near Earth reached record levels for the past 20 years: the last time higher values were observed was on October 29, 2003, after an X17.2-class flare preceding the largest magnetic storm of the 21st century to date.
--BERNAMA-SPUTNIK/RIA NOVOSTI
