[TangoLimaSierra]

Is there some kind of physics explanation by which we would expect a certain “planetary line up” to induce the sun to shoot flares Earth’s way? Without that it sounds too much like astrology.

Exactly. There was a huge event a week or two ago but it was facing away from earth.

[AFPhys]

That “huge event” a couple weeks ago was miniscule compared to the Carrington Event, and indeed was a factor of 20 smaller than an X-level event that affected Earth about 10 years ago -— and Ol’Sol is FAR less active now than it was then, and we are currently decreasing, NOT increasing, in activity.