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Breathtaking X-Class Solar Flare Bursts From the Sun

NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory captured this image of a solar flare – as seen in the bright flash on the upper right – on March 3, 2023. The image shows a subset of extreme ultraviolet light that highlights the extremely hot material in flares, and which is colorized in orange. Credit: NASA/SDO

The Sun emitted a strong (X-class) solar flare, peaking at 12:52 p.m. ESTEST is an abbreviation for Eastern Standard Time, the time zone for the eastern coast of the United States and Canada when observing standard time (autumn/winter). It is five hours behind Coordinated Universal Time. New York City, Washington, D.C., Boston, and the Kennedy Space Center are in the Eastern Time Zone (ET).” data-gt-translate-attributes=”[{“attribute”:”data-cmtooltip”, “format”:”html”}]”>EST on March 3, 2023. NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO), which watches the Sun constantly, captured an image of the event.

Solar flares are massive explosions that occur on the surface of the Sun, unleashing tremendous amounts of energy that can cause significant disruptions in various technological systems on Earth. These powerful bursts of energy can cause disturbances in the Earth’s ionosphere, leading to interference with high-frequency (HF) radio communications, satellite navigation signals, and even electric power grids.

Artist’s concept of NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). Credit: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Conceptual Image Lab

In addition, solar flares and eruptions can also pose severe risks to spacecraft and astronauts in space. The release of high-energy particles and radiation during a solar event can damage the sensitive electronic equipment onboard spacecraft and threaten the health of astronauts. In severe cases, these space weather events can cause significant disruptions to critical systems, such as satellite communication and GPSGPS, or Global Positioning System, is a satellite-based navigation system that provides location and time information anywhere on or near the Earth's surface. It consists of a network of satellites, ground control stations, and GPS receivers, which are found in a variety of devices such as smartphones, cars, and aircraft. GPS is used for a wide range of applications including navigation, mapping, tracking, and timing, and has an accuracy of about 3 meters (10 feet) in most conditions.” data-gt-translate-attributes=”[{“attribute”:”data-cmtooltip”, “format”:”html”}]”>GPS, potentially causing widespread blackouts and other impacts on human activities on Earth.

Scientists and space agencies around the world closely monitor the activity of the Sun and its impact on Earth’s atmosphere and space environment. Sophisticated instruments and satellites are used to study the behavior of the Sun and predict the occurrence of solar flares and other space weather events. Understanding these phenomena is crucial for mitigating the risks they pose to our technology, infrastructure, and space exploration efforts.

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Source: SciTechDaily