"Massive Solar Eruption on Mercury Sparks Potential X-ray Auroras"

A massive solar eruption from the sun's hidden far side has potentially triggered "X-ray auroras" on Mercury, following a powerful solar flare on March 9. The eruption, around 40 times wider than Earth, released a large coronal mass ejection that collided with Mercury on March 10, exposing the planet's unprotected surface to X-rays. This event suggests that the sun's solar maximum, a period of increased solar activity, may have begun earlier than expected. Scientists are concerned about monitoring the far side of the sun for surprise solar storms, but NASA's Perseverance rover on Mars provides a potential solution for observing the sun's hidden regions.