NASA has released videos of two strong solar flares that occurred this week, one occurring at 01:41 UTC on 8 May and the other at 05:09 on 9 May.
They show powerful bursts of energy emanating from the surface of the Sun known as solar flares.
These events can impact life on Earth in the form of disruption to radio communications, electric power grids and navigation signals.
They can also threaten astronauts and spacecraft in Earth orbit.
The images were captured by NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory, which orbits Earth and captures data on the Sun in various wavelengths.
By observing the Sun in different wavelengths, solar scientists can observe different layers and characteristics of the Sun and understand more about how our host star operates.
The solar flares
The video of the solar flares releases by NASA shows a split screen view of the Sun in a dark orange and black.
On the left is the 9 May 2024 solar flare and on the right is the 8 May solar flare, which can be seen as a burst of solar material projecting outwards into space.
NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory captured the images in extreme ultraviolet light to reveal the scorching hot material bursting outwards.
Both flares are classified as X1.0 flares, ‘X’ denoting the most intense solar flares and the number revealing their strength.
The Sun goes through a period of peaks and troughs of solar activity known as the Solar Cycle.
At times the Sun may lie dormant for a period, but as peak activity approaches, more phenomena like solar flares, coronal mass ejections and sunspots may be seen.
The Sun is currently approaching the peak of Solar Cycle 25, which means solar scientists and solar observers are excitedly keeping an eye out for more of these phenomena, before the Sun quietens down again.
sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov
