The Sun emitted two strong solar flares, the first peaking at 10:09 p.m. ET on May 13, 2024, and the second peaking at 8:55 a.m. ET on May 14, 2024. NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory, which watches the Sun constantly, captured images of the event.
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.
The first flare is classified as an X1.7 class flare and the second flare is classified as an X1.2 class 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.