Researchers using the GREGOR solar telescope captured a 28‑tile high‑resolution mosaic of active region NOAA 14274 that recorded precursors and the onset of an X1.2 flare. Restored images from a new fast‑camera raster mode reveal twisted penumbral magnetic structures at ~100 km scales, and roughly 40,000 datasets await analysis.

Immediate impacts: operators and users of HF radio—aviation, maritime, and amateur services—are likely to experience brief HF degradation that can disrupt navigation and communications. Stakeholders should monitor SWPC updates for confirmation of any CME, which would raise broader geomagnetic risks to satellites and power and extend consequences beyond these immediate technological disruptions.