January 23, 2012 @ 0359 UT: Sunspot 1402 erupts and unleashes a long-duration M9-class solar flare (almost an X-flare) and a earth-facing CME. Accelerated by the event, an S3-class radiation storm (proton showers) "swarmed" our planet. We have not witnessed this type of high energy radiation storm in approximately 7 years. The CME arrived at earth on January 24th at approximately 1500 UT, causing a G1-class geomagnetic storm.