LONG DURATION SOLAR FLARE: Magnetic fields around sunspot AR2434 erupted during the early hours of Oct. 22nd, producing a solar flare that lasted for hours. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory took this extreme UV picture of the eruption

The peak X-ray intensity of the flare was relatively low; on the Richter Scale of Solar Flares it registered only C4. What the flare lacked in amplitude, however, it made up for in longevity. The hours-long blast was powerful and produced a bright CME: movie.

 The CME does not appear to be heading directly for Earth, but it might have an Earth-directed component. This is a preliminary conclusion based on limited data, so stay tuned for updates.