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Astronomical event

January 2026 Severe Space Weather Event

X-class solar flare and coronal mass ejection detected by ESA on January 18, 2026.

Published

Key facts

  • Status: scheduled
  • Time precision: exact
ESA's Space Weather Office monitored a notable event first detected on January 18, 2026, at 18:09 UTC. An X-class solar flare was observed, followed by a coronal mass ejection (CME) recorded by the SOHO satellite. The CME traveled towards Earth at an initially estimated speed of 1400 km/s, adjusted to ~1700 km/s after arrival. High-energy particles reached severe levels (S4) on January 19 at 19:15 UTC, placing it among the most intense radiation storms in GOES records. The event caused a geomagnetic storm affecting satellites, power grids, and aviation, and generated auroras visible across Europe, even at lower latitudes.