NASA Releases Images of Most Powerful Solar Flare in Six Years
Images captured by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory
X-class flare peaked at 4:55 p.m. EST on December 14, 2023
NASA has released images of what it says is the most powerful solar flare in six years. The X-class flare, which peaked at 4:55 p.m. EST on December 14, 2023, was captured by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO).
SDO is a spacecraft that was launched in 2010 to study the Sun. It is equipped with a variety of instruments that allow it to observe the Sun in multiple wavelengths of light, including ultraviolet and X-rays. This allows SDO to see the Sun's corona, or outer atmosphere, where solar flares occur.
Solar flares are sudden bursts of energy that are released from the Sun's corona. They are caused by the sudden release of magnetic energy that has built up in the corona. Solar flares can range in size from small, localized events to large, planet-wide events. The X-class flare that was captured by SDO was one of the largest flares that has been observed in recent years.
Solar flares can have a variety of effects on Earth, including disrupting radio communications, damaging satellites, and causing power outages. The X-class flare that was captured by SDO is not expected to have any significant effects on Earth, but it is a reminder of the Sun's power and the potential for solar flares to disrupt our technology.
Komentar