GOES satellites measured a M8.1-class solar flare peaking at 2026-08-20T11:42:00Z (X-ray flux 8.1e-5 W/m2, radio-blackout scale ~R2). Flares cause immediate shortwave radio blackouts on Earth's sunlit side. If this flare launched a CME toward Earth, a geomagnetic storm could follow in 1-3 days – worth watching the Kp index.
What this means for you
Most space weather passes without anyone noticing – but events like this are exactly why we watch the data. If conditions escalate, the first things affected are GPS accuracy, shortwave radio and, in severe cases, power grids. Now is a good moment to make sure your devices are charged and you know where your backup light sources are.
We track this in real time on our Space Weather Command Center – live storm levels, aurora maps and official NOAA alerts, explained in plain English.
Detected automatically from NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center data, August 20, 2026 at 16:15 UTC.
Source: NOAA GOES X-ray Flux
Sky & Solar Conditions at the Time
Moon: First Quarter (54% illuminated), in Sagittarius.
Notable planetary angles: Venus opposite Saturn (179°), Venus sextile Jupiter (62°), Jupiter trine Saturn (117°).
Concurrent space weather: planetary Kp index 3.3; strongest recent solar flare: M8.1-class.
This is a factual snapshot, not a claim of cause and effect – researchers are divided on whether lunar, planetary or solar factors influence seismic or weather activity. It’s included so readers can track the pattern for themselves over time.
