NASA Captures Sun’s Fury: Strongest Solar Flare Since 2017

The Sun emitted a strong solar flare, peaking at 4:55 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”}]” tabindex=”0″ role=”link”>EST, on December 31, 2023. NASAEstablished in 1958, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is an independent agency of the United States Federal Government that succeeded the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA). It is responsible for the civilian space program, as well as aeronautics and aerospace research. Its vision is "To discover and expand knowledge for the benefit of humanity." Its core values are "safety, integrity, teamwork, excellence, and inclusion." NASA conducts research, develops technology and launches missions to explore and study Earth, the solar system, and the universe beyond. It also works to advance the state of knowledge in a wide range of scientific fields, including Earth and space science, planetary science, astrophysics, and heliophysics, and it collaborates with private companies and international partners to achieve its goals.” data-gt-translate-attributes=”[{“attribute”:”data-cmtooltip”, “format”:”html”}]” tabindex=”0″ role=”link”>NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory, which watches the Sun constantly, captured an image 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.

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.

Credit: NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center

More details were provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Space Weather Prediction Center:

An X5.0 flare (R3 Strong Radio Blackout) from NOAAThe National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is a scientific agency of the United States government that is focused on understanding and predicting changes in Earth's oceans, atmosphere, and climate. It is headquartered in Silver Spring, Maryland and is a part of the Department of Commerce. NOAA conducts research and provides information, products, and services that are used to protect life and property, and to support economic growth and development. It also works to conserve and manage natural resources, including fisheries, wildlife, and habitats. Some of the specific activities that NOAA is involved in include weather forecasting, climate monitoring, marine biology and fisheries research, and satellite and remote sensing.” data-gt-translate-attributes=”[{“attribute”:”data-cmtooltip”, “format”:”html”}]” tabindex=”0″ role=”link”>NOAA/SWPC Region 3536 occurred at 31/2155 UTCCoordinated Universal Time or Universal Time Coordinated (UTC) is the primary time standard by which the world regulates clocks and time. Prior to 1972, this time was called Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) and is also known as "Z time" or "Zulu Time."  It is, within about 1 second, mean solar time at 0° longitude.” data-gt-translate-attributes=”[{“attribute”:”data-cmtooltip”, “format”:”html”}]” tabindex=”0″ role=”link”>UTC. This flare came from the same region that produced an X2.8 flare on December 14, 2023. It is also the largest flare to be observed since September 10, 2017 when an X8.2 flare occurred. Although low confidence, modeling of the CME (Coronal Mass Ejection) related to this event determined the possibility of proximity shock influences near Earth as early as January 2. A G1 (Minor) geomagnetic storming watch valid January 2 is in place in response.

Coronal mass ejections and solar flares. Credit: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center/Mary Pat Hrybyk-Keith

Solar Flares

Solar flares are sudden and intense bursts of radiation emanating from the Sun’s surface, often near its sunspots. These flares are caused by the release of magnetic energy stored in the Sun’s atmosphere. This energy heats up the solar material to tens of millions of degrees, causing it to emit gamma rays, X-rays, and ultraviolet radiation.

Solar flares are primarily classified into three categories based on their strength: C-class, M-class, and X-class.

• C-class Flares: These are small flares with minimal impact on Earth. They are common and can occur frequently during periods of high solar activity.
• M-class Flares: These are medium-sized flares that can cause brief radio blackouts at the poles and minor radiation storms that might endanger astronauts.
• X-class Flares: The most intense type, these flares can trigger planet-wide radio blackouts and long-lasting radiation storms. They are often accompanied by coronal mass ejections (CMEs), which can have significant effects on Earth’s magnetosphere and geomagnetic field.

Each class is ten times more powerful than the preceding one, and within each class, there is a finer scale from 1 to 9. For instance, an X5 flare is five times more intense than an X1 flare.

Artist’s concept image of the SDO satellite orbiting Earth. Credit: NASA

NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory

NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) is a space mission launched in February 2010 as part of the Living With a Star (LWS) program. The primary goal of the SDO is to understand the influence of the Sun on the Earth and near-Earth space by studying the solar atmosphere on small scales of space and time and in many wavelengths simultaneously.

The SDO is equipped with a suite of instruments that provide observations leading to a more complete understanding of the solar dynamics:

1. Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA): Captures images of the solar atmosphere in multiple wavelengths to link changes in the surface to interior changes.
2. Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI): Studies the solar magnetic field and produces data to determine the interior sources of solar variability.
3. Extreme Ultraviolet Variability Experiment (EVE): Measures the Sun’s extreme ultraviolet irradiance with high accuracyHow close the measured value conforms to the correct value.” data-gt-translate-attributes=”[{“attribute”:”data-cmtooltip”, “format”:”html”}]” tabindex=”0″ role=”link”>accuracy, which is important for understanding the impact on Earth’s atmosphere.

By continuously monitoring the Sun, SDO helps scientists learn more about solar activity and how it affects Earth, playing a crucial role in our ability to forecast space weather events.