Sun Releases Strongest Solar Flare (X9.0) of Solar Cycle 25 So Far | NASA SDO

Sun Releases Strongest Solar Flare (X9.0) of Solar Cycle 25 So Far | NASA SDO

NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory captured this image of a X9.0 solar flare—seen as the bright flash in the center—on Oct. 3, 2024. The image shows subsets of extreme ultraviolet light that highlight the extremely hot material in flares, colorized in red and gold. The Sun, shown in red and yellow, with several darker red and bright yellow spots. In the middle is a very bright white and yellow burst of energy with lines going in multiple directions, like a star.

NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory captured this image of an X9.0 solar flare—as seen in the bright flash in the center—on Oct. 03, 2024. The image shows a blend of 171 Angstrom, and 131 Angstrom light, subsets of extreme ultraviolet light.

NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory captured this imagery of an X9.0 solar flare—as seen in the bright flash in the center—on Oct. 03, 2024. The imagery shows a blend of 171 Angstrom, and 131 Angstrom light, subsets of extreme ultraviolet light.

NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory captured this image of an X9.0 solar flare—as seen in the bright flash in the center—on Oct. 03, 2024. The image shows 193 Angstrom extreme ultraviolet light.

NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory captured this image of an X9.0 solar flare—as seen in the bright flash in the center—on Oct. 03, 2024. The image shows 131 Angstrom extreme ultraviolet light. It highlights the extremely hot plasma of the flare.

The Sun emitted a strong solar flare in Active Region 3842, peaking at 8:18 a.m. ET on Oct. 3, 2024. The was the largest flare so far since the start of Solar Cycle 25 in 2019. NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) watches the Sun constantly and captured imagery 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 X9.0 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 NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center https://spaceweather.gov, 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: Oct. 3, 2024

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