Month: December 2023

Strong Solar Flare Erupts from Sun

The Sun emitted a strong solar flare, peaking at 4:55 p.m. EST, on Dec. 31, 2023. NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory, which watches the Sun constantly, captured an image of the event.

Close up image of the Sun colorized in a mix of yellow, orange, brown and black that showcases the dynamic beauty of the Sun. The X5.0 flare appears as a bright white flash on the left side of the image.
NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory captured this image of a solar flare – as seen in the bright flash on the far left – on Dec. 31, 2023. The image shows a subset of extreme ultraviolet light that highlights the extremely hot material in flares, which is colorized in yellow and orange. Credit: NASA/SDO

Solar flares are powerful bursts of energy. Flares and solar eruptions can impact radio communications, electric power grids, navigation signals, and pose risks to spacecraft and astronauts.

This flare is classified as an X5.0 flare.  X-class denotes the most intense flares, while the number provides more information about its strength.

To see how such space weather may affect Earth, please visit NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center https://spaceweather.gov/, the U.S. government’s official source for space weather forecasts, watches, warnings, and alerts. NASA works as a research arm of the nation’s space weather effort. NASA observes the Sun and our space environment constantly with a fleet of spacecraft that study everything from the Sun’s activity to the solar atmosphere, and to the particles and magnetic fields in the space surrounding Earth.

Sun Releases Strong Solar Flare

The Sun emitted a strong solar flare, peaking at 12:02 p.m. EST, on Dec. 14, 2023. NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory, which watches the Sun constantly, captured an image of the event.

CClose up image of the right half of the Sun, which is colorized in a bluish, teal color. The flare appears as a bright white flash on the right side of the image.
NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory captured this image of a solar flare – as seen in the bright flash in the upper right – on Dec. 14. The image shows a subset of extreme ultraviolet light that highlights the extremely hot material in flares, and which is colorized in teal. Credit: NASA/SDO

Solar flares are powerful bursts of energy. Flares and solar eruptions can impact radio communications, electric power grids, navigation signals, and pose risks to spacecraft and astronauts.

This flare is classified as an X2.8 flare.  X-class denotes the most intense flares, while the number provides more information about its strength.

To see how such space weather may affect Earth, please visit NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center (https://spaceweather.gov/), the U.S. government’s official source for space weather forecasts, watches, warnings, and alerts. NASA works as a research arm of the nation’s space weather effort. NASA observes the Sun and our space environment constantly with a fleet of spacecraft that study everything from the Sun’s activity to the solar atmosphere, and to the particles and magnetic fields in the space surrounding Earth.