MOSCOW, July 12 (Xinhua) -- The sun's activity has increased approximately threefold compared to the average values for July, with 17 flares occurring in less than two days, Russian solar researchers said Saturday.

Over the past two days, "a rapid increase in the number and area of active regions has been observed on the sun, including on the far side, which is invisible from Earth and is currently being monitored by the European spacecraft Solar Orbiter," the Solar Astronomy Laboratory of the Space Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences said in a statement. "In other words, the growth in activity is global in nature."

According to scientists, two M-class flares, which are considered moderate-intensity solar flares, were recorded on the left edge of the Sun on Saturday morning.

"In total, over less than two days, from July 11 to 12, 17 flares occurred on the Sun, which corresponds to an approximately threefold increase in flare activity compared to the average values for July," the institute reported.

Astronomers emphasized that this increase in activity has not yet posed any direct threats to Earth. ■