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Sun Erupts With Significant Flare

SDO composite image of a 10 Sept. 2017 solar flare
NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory captured this image of a solar flare – as seen in the bright flash on the right side – on Sept. 10, 2017. The image shows a combination of wavelengths of extreme ultraviolet light that highlights the extremely hot material in flares, which has then been colorized.
Credit: NASA/SDO/Goddard

Download additional imagery from NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio

animation of SDO observations of 10 Sept. 2017 flare
Credits: NASA/SDO/Goddard

The sun emitted a significant solar flare, peaking at 12:06 p.m. EDT on Sept. 10, 2017. NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory, which watches the sun constantly, captured an image of the event. Solar flares are powerful bursts of radiation. 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 affect Earth, please visit NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center at http://spaceweather.gov, the U.S. government’s official source for space weather forecasts, alerts, watches and warnings.

This flare is classified as an X8.2-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.

This flare is the capstone on a series of flares from Active Region 2673, which was identified on Aug. 29 and is currently rotating off the front of the sun as part of our star’s normal rotation.

This video shows the Sept. 10, 2017, X8.2-class solar flare as observed by NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory. The video shows a blend of light from the 171- and 304-angstrom wavelengths. The static at about 24 seconds into the video is caused by particles from the Sun striking the instrument.
Credit: NASA/Goddard/SDO

Download this video in HD formats from NASA Goddard’s Scientific Visualization Studio

NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory, which watches the sun constantly, captured images of the events. Solar flares are powerful bursts of radiation. 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.
Credits: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center/Scott Wiessinger

Download this video in HD formats from NASA Goddard’s Scientific Visualization Studio

Download additional imagery at: https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/12706

By Karen C. Fox
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.

Sept. 8, 2017 – M8.1 Flare 

The sun emitted one mid-level solar flare on Sept. 8, 2017. The flare peaked at 3:49 a.m. EDT. This is the sixth sizable flare from the same active region since Sept. 4. 

sun flare
NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory captured this image of an M8.1 solar flare – as seen in the bright area on the right – on Sept. 8, 2017. The image is a blend of extreme ultraviolet light in the 131 and 171 angstrom wavelengths.
Credits: NASA

To see how this event may affect Earth, please visit NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center at http://spaceweather.gov, the U.S. government’s official source for space weather forecasts, alerts, watches and warnings.

The flare is classified as an M8.1 flare. M-class flares are a tenth the size of the most intense flares, the X-class flares. The number provides more information about its strength. An M2 is twice as intense as an M1, an M3 is three times as intense, etc. 

Sept. 7, 2017 – Sun Shows Two Mid-Level Solar Flares 

The sun emitted two mid-level solar flares on Sept. 7, 2017. The first peaked at 6:15 a.m. EDT. The second, larger flare, peaked at 10:36 a.m. EDT. These are the fourth and fifth sizable flares from the same active region since Sept. 4. 

To see how this event may affect Earth, please visit NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center at http://spaceweather.gov, the U.S. government’s official source for space weather forecasts, alerts, watches and warnings.

The first flare is classified as an M7.3 flare. The second as X1.3. 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. M-class flares are a tenth the size of X-class flares.

Sept. 6, 2017 – Two Significant Solar Flares Imaged by NASA’s SDO

The sun emitted two significant solar flares on the morning of Sept. 6, 2017. The first peaked at 5:10 a.m. EDT and the second, larger flare, peaked at 8:02 a.m. EDT. NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory, which watches the sun constantly, captured images of both events. Solar flares are powerful bursts of radiation. 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.

animation of SDO observations of Sept. 6, 2017, flares
This animation shows both the X2.2 and the X9.3 flares that the Sun emitted on Sept. 6, 2017. The imagery was captured by NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory and shows light in the 131 angstrom wavelength.
Credits: NASA/Goddard/SDO

To see how this event may affect Earth, please visit NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center at http://spaceweather.gov, the U.S. government’s official source for space weather forecasts, alerts, watches and warnings.

The first flare is classified as an X2.2 flare and the second is an X9.3 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.

Both flares erupted from an active region labeled AR 2673, which also produced a mid-level solar flare on Sept. 4, 2017. The X9.3 flare was the largest flare so far in the current solar cycle, the approximately 11-year-cycle during which the sun’s activity waxes and wanes. The current solar cycle began in December 2008, and is now decreasing in intensity and heading toward solar minimum. This is a phase when such eruptions on the sun are increasingly rare, but history has shown that they can nonetheless be intense. The radio black out from this particular flare is already passed, and http://spaceweather.gov has more details.

Updates will be provided as needed.

Additional imagery at: https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/12706

By Karen C. Fox
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.