# What is the Sun doing right now? > The solar wind, the Sun's X-ray level and its last big flare, live from NOAA. Where we are in the solar cycle, and what it means for the aurora. HTML: https://www.theuniversecounts.com/solar-system/the-sun/what-is-the-sun-doing-now Numbers as of 2026-10-31 03:45 UTC. Live ones keep changing on the HTML page. Right now the solar wind is streaming past Earth at 352 kilometres per second. The Sun's X-ray glow, which leaps when it flares, stands at B1.9 on the flare scale. Around Earth, the latest storm reading is “No storm”. The last big flare, of class M or X, began on 19 October 2026. All of this reaches us late. The Sun's light needs 8.3 minutes to get here, and its wind about 4.9 days. Since you opened this page, the Sun has lost [counts up live on the page] kilograms to its light and its wind. - The Sun's X-ray brightness at Earth (GOES, 0.1–0.8 nm): B1.9 - Planetary K-index (Kp), latest 3-hour value: 3 - Time since the last major solar flare (class M or X): 12 days - Sunspot number, monthly mean (latest month): 60.3 ## Our star What is the Sun? The Sun is a star, the only one in our solar system. It is a huge ball of hot gas, mostly hydrogen and helium, held together by its own gravity. It has no solid surface. It is by far the largest thing in the solar system, and its gravity keeps every planet, asteroid and comet in orbit. It shines because of what happens at its centre. In the core, hydrogen is squeezed and heated until it fuses into helium. That fusion releases the energy that pushes outward, keeps the Sun from collapsing and makes it shine. It has been doing this for about 4.6 billion years. So what does it mean for a star to be "doing" something? The Sun is never still. It flares. It blows a wind of charged gas out into space. Dark spots come and go on its face, and all of this rises and falls in a rhythm of about 11 years. The numbers on this page follow each of them as they change. ## Flares, from A to X Solar flares A solar flare is a sudden burst of light from the Sun. It happens above sunspots, where tangled magnetic fields snap into a calmer shape and release their energy within minutes. NASA calls flares the most powerful explosions in the solar system. Flares shine brightest in X-rays, and NOAA's GOES satellites measure the Sun's X-rays every minute. Flares are graded by letter: A, B, C, M and X. Each letter means ten times the X-ray brightness of the one before. A number adds detail inside a class, so an M2 flare is twice as bright as an M1. Right now the Sun's X-ray glow reads B1.9. A flare's light travels at the speed of light, so we see it the moment it arrives, 8.3 minutes after it happened. A strong one can black out shortwave radio on the daylit side of Earth. The last flare of class M or X began on 19 October 2026. Big flares are most common near the peak of the Sun's cycle. ## A wind that never stops The solar wind The Sun is always losing gas from its outer atmosphere, the corona. The gas streams out in every direction as the solar wind: mostly protons and electrons, carrying the Sun's magnetic field with them. It fills a vast bubble around the Sun, so Earth lives inside the Sun's own atmosphere. Spacecraft upstream of Earth measure the wind before it reaches us. Right now it blows at 352 kilometres per second. At that speed it would cross from the Sun to Earth in about 4.9 days. Sunlight makes the same trip in 8.3 minutes. Since you opened this page, the wind has travelled [counts up live on the page] kilometres. The speed changes. Slow wind is the usual kind in the plane where the planets orbit. Faster streams pour out of coronal holes, dark patches where the Sun's magnetic field opens into space. The Sun turns once every 27 days as seen from Earth, and the wind spirals out like water from a garden sprinkler. Sometimes the Sun also hurls a giant cloud, a coronal mass ejection. The fastest reach Earth in less than a day. ## The Sun's slow rhythm Solar Cycle 25 Sunspots are dark patches on the Sun's face. They are cooler than the gas around them, and they mark places where strong magnetic fields push up from inside. Monthly counts go back to 1749. The number rises and falls over about 11 years. At the low point there are few spots or none. At the high point the Sun is crowded with them, and flares and eruptions are common. With every cycle, the Sun's north and south magnetic poles swap places. The cycle we are in, Solar Cycle 25, began in December 2019. It peaked in October 2024, when the smoothed sunspot number reached 160.9. That was well above what the experts forecast in 2019. The latest monthly sunspot number is 60.3. So we are past the peak, on the long slope down towards the next quiet spell. NOAA expects Cycle 26 to begin some time between January 2029 and December 2032. Then the count starts to climb again. ## Lights in our sky What it means here When a fast stream of wind or a coronal mass ejection reaches Earth, it can shake the magnetic field we live inside. That shaking is a geomagnetic storm. It is measured with the Kp index, and NOAA counts a storm from Kp 5. The latest reading is “No storm”. A storm pours energy into the air high above the poles. Electrons stream down Earth's magnetic field and strike oxygen and nitrogen in the upper air, which give off light, much as a neon lamp does. That glow is the aurora. It forms two ovals around the magnetic poles. In a big storm it spreads towards the equator, and people far from the Arctic look up and see it. Strong storms do more than paint the sky. They can strain power grids, disturb satellites and blur GPS signals. Our page on geomagnetic storms explains the scale, and the great storms of the past. ## The sunlight we live on Back to Earth Most of what the Sun does, it does with light. Earth catches only the sliver that falls on the disc our planet turns to the Sun. Even so, that sunlight carries about 9,300 times as much power as humanity uses: every fuel we burn and all the electricity we make, together. Part of it bounces straight back to space. The rest warms the oceans and the air, drives the winds and the rain, and feeds every green leaf. Most life on Earth runs on it. The Sun pays for this light with its own mass. Every second it turns about 5.5 billion kilograms of itself into light and wind. It is so massive that it can keep this up for a very long time. It has enough hydrogen in its core to shine for about 5 billion years more. ## FAQ ### Is there a solar flare right now? Look at the X-ray level at the top of this page. It reads B1.9 right now. Flares of class M and X are the strong ones, and the last began on 19 October 2026. The reading comes from NOAA's GOES satellites, every minute. ### How fast is the solar wind today? 352 kilometres per second, measured by spacecraft upstream of Earth. At that speed the wind needs about 4.9 days to travel from the Sun to us. Streams from coronal holes blow faster than the usual slow wind. ### How long does sunlight take to reach Earth? Right now 8.3 minutes. The time changes a little through the year, because Earth's distance from the Sun does. At the average distance it is 499 seconds. Earth is next closest to the Sun on 3 January 2027. ### Where are we in the solar cycle? In Solar Cycle 25, which began in December 2019 and peaked in October 2024. We are now on the way down. NOAA expects the next cycle to begin between January 2029 and December 2032. ### Is the Sun losing mass? Yes, about 5.5 billion kilograms every second, to its light and its wind. Over its whole life so far, that adds up to a very small part of its mass. It will go on shining for about 5 billion years. ### Can the Sun's activity affect us on Earth? Yes. Strong flares can black out shortwave radio on the daylit side of Earth. Geomagnetic storms can strain power grids, disturb satellites and GPS, and bring the aurora far from the poles. ## Related - [Geomagnetic storms](https://www.theuniversecounts.com/solar-system/space-weather/geomagnetic-storms.md) - [Space weather](https://www.theuniversecounts.com/solar-system/space-weather.md) - [The Sun](https://www.theuniversecounts.com/solar-system/the-sun.md) - [Where are the planets right now?](https://www.theuniversecounts.com/solar-system/planets/where-are-the-planets.md) Every sunrise shows a star at work: flaring, blowing its wind, turning slowly through its cycle. What will you think of the next time you feel it on your face? ## Sources - Age of the Sun (Measured, with error): [Science: The absolute chronology and thermal processing of solids in the solar protoplanetary disk (Connelly et al. 2012)](https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1226919); [NASA Science: Sun: Facts](https://science.nasa.gov/sun/facts/) - Average length of the Sun's activity cycle (Measured, with error): [NOAA SWPC: NOAA Space Weather Scales](https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/noaa-scales-explanation); [Living Reviews in Solar Physics: The Solar Cycle (Hathaway 2015; arXiv:1502.07020)](https://doi.org/10.1007/lrsp-2015-4); [NASA NSSDCA: Sun Fact Sheet](https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/factsheet/sunfact.html) - Diameter of a regulation football (size 5) (Measured, with error): [The IFAB: Laws of the Game, Law 2 – The Ball](https://www.theifab.com/laws/latest/the-ball/) - Earth's circumference at the equator (Measured): [NASA NSSDCA: Earth Fact Sheet](https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/factsheet/earthfact.html) - Earth's diameter at the equator (Measured): [NASA NSSDCA: Earth Fact Sheet](https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/factsheet/earthfact.html) - Great-circle distance between London and Sydney (Measured, with error): [NASA NSSDCA: Earth Fact Sheet](https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/factsheet/earthfact.html) - Highest smoothed sunspot number of Solar Cycle 25 (13-month mean, October 2024) (Measured, with error): [SIDC, Royal Observatory of Belgium: Solar Cycle 25 reached its maximum in October 2024](https://sidc.be/article/solar-cycle-25-reached-its-maximum-october-2024) - Humanity's average rate of energy use (total energy supply, 2024) (Measured, with error): [Energy Institute: Statistical Review of World Energy 2025, Key highlights](https://www.energyinst.org/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/1658077/Statistical-Review-of-World-Energy.pdf) - Jupiter's diameter at the equator (Measured): [NASA NSSDCA: Jupiter Fact Sheet](https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/factsheet/jupiterfact.html) - Kp level at which a geomagnetic storm begins (G1) (Measured): [NOAA SWPC: NOAA Space Weather Scales](https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/noaa-scales-explanation); [NOAA SWPC: Planetary K-index](https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/products/planetary-k-index) - Mass the Sun loses each second, to its light and its wind together (Measured, with error): [NASA NSSDCA: Sun Fact Sheet](https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/factsheet/sunfact.html); [Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: The independency of stellar mass-loss rates on stellar X-ray luminosity and activity level based on solar X-ray flux and solar wind observations (Cohen 2011; arXiv:1107.2275)](https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2966.2011.19428.x); [Astronomy & Astrophysics: Estimates of the change rate of solar mass and gravitational constant based on the dynamics of the Solar System (Pitjeva et al. 2021; arXiv:2201.09804)](https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/202039893) - Planetary K-index (Kp), latest 3-hour value (Measured, with error): [NOAA SWPC: Planetary K-index](https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/products/planetary-k-index); [NOAA SWPC: NOAA Space Weather Scales](https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/noaa-scales-explanation) - Solar wind speed measured upstream of Earth (Measured): [NOAA SWPC: Solar Wind Data and Display Changes (30 June 2026)](https://www.spaceweather.gov/news/solar-wind-data-and-display-changes); [NOAA SWPC: SWPC home-page summary bar script (shows this file as "Solar Wind Speed ... km/sec")](https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/modules/custom/swpc_summary/swpc_summary.js); [The Astrophysical Journal: Extremely Slow (Vsw < 300 km/s) Solar Winds (ESSWs) at 1 au: Causes of Extreme Geomagnetic Quiet at Earth (Tsurutani & Hajra 2022, ApJ 936, 155)](https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ac7444); [Journal of Geophysical Research: Extremely high speed solar wind: 29-30 October 2003 (Skoug et al. 2004, JGR 109, A09102)](https://doi.org/10.1029/2004JA010494); [Space Weather (AGU): On the Little-Known Consequences of the 4 August 1972 Ultra-Fast Coronal Mass Ejecta (Knipp et al. 2018, Space Weather 16)](https://doi.org/10.1029/2018SW002024) - Speed of light in a vacuum (Measured): [BIPM: SI defining constants](https://www.bipm.org/en/measurement-units/si-defining-constants) - Sunlight power that Earth intercepts (Measured, with error): [The Astronomical Journal (IAU): Nominal values for selected solar and planetary quantities: IAU 2015 Resolution B3 (Prša et al., AJ 152, 41, 2016; text also at arXiv:1510.07674)](https://doi.org/10.3847/0004-6256/152/2/41); [NASA NSSDCA: Earth Fact Sheet](https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/factsheet/earthfact.html) - Sunspot number, monthly mean (latest month) (Measured, with error): [NOAA SWPC: Observed solar cycle indices](https://services.swpc.noaa.gov/json/solar-cycle/observed-solar-cycle-indices.json); [SILSO, Royal Observatory of Belgium: SILSO data files](https://www.sidc.be/SILSO/datafiles) - The International Space Station's orbital speed (Measured): [NASA: Station Facts](https://www.nasa.gov/international-space-station/space-station-facts-and-figures/) - The Moon's average distance from Earth (Measured): [NASA: Moon Facts](https://science.nasa.gov/moon/facts/) - The Sun's distance from Earth (Measured): [NASA NSSDCA: Sun Fact Sheet](https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/factsheet/sunfact.html) - The Sun's mean diameter (Measured, with error): [NASA NSSDCA: Sun Fact Sheet](https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/factsheet/sunfact.html); [International Astronomical Union (via arXiv): IAU 2015 Resolution B3 on recommended nominal conversion constants for selected solar and planetary properties](https://arxiv.org/abs/1510.07674) - The Sun's X-ray brightness at Earth (GOES, 0.1–0.8 nm) (Measured): [NOAA SWPC: Solar Flares (Radio Blackouts)](https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/phenomena/solar-flares-radio-blackouts) - Time since Earth's last geomagnetic storm (Kp 5- or higher) (Measured, with error): [GFZ Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences, Potsdam: Geomagnetic Kp index](https://kp.gfz.de/en/) - Time since Solar Cycle 25 began (Measured): [NASA: Solar Cycle 25 Is Here. NASA, NOAA Scientists Explain What That Means (release 20-089)](https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/solar-cycle-25-is-here-nasa-noaa-scientists-explain-what-that-means/) - Time since Solar Cycle 25 peaked (Measured, with error): [SIDC, Royal Observatory of Belgium: Solar Cycle 25 reached its maximum in October 2024](https://sidc.be/article/solar-cycle-25-reached-its-maximum-october-2024); [NASA Science: NASA, NOAA: Sun Reaches Maximum Phase in 11-Year Solar Cycle (15 October 2024)](https://science.nasa.gov/science-research/heliophysics/nasa-noaa-sun-reaches-maximum-phase-in-11-year-solar-cycle/) - Time since the last major solar flare (class M or X) (Measured, with error): [NOAA SWPC: GOES X-ray Flux](https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/products/goes-x-ray-flux) - Time sunlight takes to reach Earth, at the mean Earth–Sun distance (1 au) (Measured): [International Astronomical Union (hosted by SYRTE, Observatoire de Paris): IAU 2012 Resolution B2 on the re-definition of the astronomical unit of length](https://syrte.obspm.fr/IAU_resolutions/Res_IAU2012_B2.pdf); [BIPM: SI defining constants](https://www.bipm.org/en/measurement-units/si-defining-constants); [NASA NSSDCA: Earth Fact Sheet](https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/planetary/factsheet/earthfact.html) - Time the Sun takes to turn once as seen from Earth (synodic, Carrington rotation) (Measured): [Wilcox Solar Observatory, Stanford University: Solar-Terrestrial Coordinate Systems](http://wso.stanford.edu/words/Coordinates.html) - Time the Sun will go on burning hydrogen in its core, from now (Estimated): [NASA Science: Sun: Facts](https://science.nasa.gov/sun/facts/); [The Astrophysical Journal: Our Sun. III. Present and Future (Sackmann, Boothroyd & Kraemer 1993)](https://doi.org/10.1086/173407) - Time until Earth's next perihelion (closest to the Sun) (Measured): [NASA JPL: JPL Horizons API, Sun geocentric vectors (geometric), one-minute steps around the first date](https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/api/horizons.api?format=text&COMMAND='10'&OBJ_DATA='NO'&MAKE_EPHEM='YES'&EPHEM_TYPE='VECTORS'&CENTER='500@399'&START_TIME='2027-01-03%2001%3A03'&STOP_TIME='2027-01-03%2004%3A03'&STEP_SIZE='1m'&VEC_TABLE='3'&VEC_CORR='NONE'&OUT_UNITS='KM-S'&TIME_TYPE='UT'&CSV_FORMAT='YES'); [US Naval Observatory: Earth's Seasons and Apsides, 2027 (USNO Astronomical Applications API)](https://aa.usno.navy.mil/api/seasons?year=2027)