The sun emitted a significant solar flare, peaking at 7:49 p.m. EST on Feb. 24, 2014. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory, which keeps a constant watch on the sun, captured images of the event.
An
X-class solar flare erupted on the left side of the sun on the evening
of Feb. 24, 2014. This composite image, captured at 7:59 p.m. EST, shows
the sun in ultraviolet light with wavelengths of both 131 and 171
angstroms. Image Credit: NASA/SDO. Additional imagery from NASA Goddard's Scientific Visualization Studio
Solar flares are powerful bursts of radiation, appearing as giant
flashes of light in the SDO images. Harmful radiation from a flare
cannot pass through Earth's atmosphere to physically affect humans on
the ground, however -- when intense enough -- they can disturb the
atmosphere in the layer where GPS and communications signals travel.
To see how this event may impact Earth, please visit NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center, the U.S. government's official source for space weather forecasts, alerts, watches and warnings.
To see how this event may impact Earth, please visit NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center, the U.S. government's official source for space weather forecasts, alerts, watches and warnings.
These
SDO images from 7:25 p.m. EST on Feb. 24, 2014, show the first moments
of an X-class flare in different wavelengths of light -- seen as the
bright spot that appears on the left limb of the sun. Hot solar material
can be seen hovering above the active region in the sun's atmosphere,
the corona. Image Credit: NASA/SDO. Additional imagery from NASA Goddard's Scientific Visualization Studio
This
flare is classified as an X4.9-class flare. X-class denotes the most
intense flares, while the number provides more information about its
strength. An X2 is twice as intense as an X1, an X3 is three times as
intense, etc.
Updates will be provided as needed.
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