Sun Releases Strong X1.2 Class Solar Flare | NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory

Sun Releases Strong X1.2 Class Solar Flare | NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory

The Sun emitted a strong solar flare, peaking at 10:34 p.m. EDT on July 13, 2024. NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory watches the Sun constantly and it captured an image of the event.

The Sun, shown in teal against a black back ground. The Sun is a mix of darker, almost black areas and bright teal regions. On the right is an extremely bright flash of white.

NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory captured this image of a solar flare—seen as the bright flash on the right—on July 13, 2024. The image shows a subset of extreme ultraviolet light that highlights the extremely hot material in flares and which is colorized in teal. 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 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 the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Space Weather Prediction Center: https://spaceweather.gov

NOAA is 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.

Image Credit: NASA/SDO

Release Date: July 15, 2024

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