from sunspot 929
"12/5/06 MAJOR SOLAR FLARE: Earth-orbiting satellites detected a powerful X-class solar flare this morning, Dec. 5th, at 10:35 Universal Time. The source: big, new sunspot 929, which is emerging over the Sun's eastern limb. Because of the sunspot's position near the limb, this flare was not Earth-directed. Future eruptions could be, however, because the Sun's spin is turning the spot toward Earth. Sunspot 929 will be visible for the next two weeks as it glides across the solar disk."