Captured in hydrogen-alpha on May 16, 2026 at 18:00:42 UTC, this image records simultaneous flare activity from two Earth-facing solar active regions during an active phase of Solar Cycle 25.
The prominent flare near the center of the solar disk is Active Region (AR) 4436, which was associated with reported M-class eruptive flare and CME activity at the time of capture. The simultaneous brightening visible in the upper right portion of the image is Active Region 4438, highlighting the widespread magnetic instability present across the visible solar disk.
Solar active regions are areas of intense magnetic activity on the Sun where flares, prominences, and other eruptive events commonly occur. This image captures the dynamic chromospheric response produced by magnetic reconnection events within both regions.
Captured using a Lunt 60mm double-stacked H-alpha telescope, 2X Barlow, and ZWO ASI294MC Pro camera.