A Significant Flare Surges Off the Sun

[Waspie_Dwarf]

A Significant Flare Surges Off the Sun

The sun emitted a significant solar flare, peaking at 1:48 p.m. EDT on Sept. 10, 2014. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory captured images of the event. Solar flares are powerful bursts of radiation. Harmful radiation from a flare cannot pass through Earth's atmosphere to physically affect humans on the ground. However -- when intense enough -- they can disturb the atmosphere in the layer where GPS and communications signals travel

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[Capt.]

It would be nice if we at least could rexpect to see a stronger Aurora Borealis display from this. http://www.gi.alaska.edu/AuroraForecast/Alaska/2014/09/10

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[Waspie_Dwarf]

September 10, 2014 X1.6 flare

The sun emitted a significant solar flare, peaking at 1:48 p.m. EDT on Sept. 10, 2014. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory captured images of the event. Solar flares are powerful bursts of radiation. Harmful radiation from a flare cannot pass through Earth's atmosphere to physically affect humans on the ground. However -- when intense enough -- they can disturb the atmosphere in the layer where GPS and communications signals travel.

This flare is classified as an X1.6 class flare. "X-class" denotes the most intense flares, while the number provides more information about its strength. An X2 is twice as intense as an X1, an X3 is three times as intense, etc.

Credit: NASA/Goddard/SDO

Source: NASA - Scientific Visualization Studio