A recent solar flare released a huge plasma plume from the Sun's south pole, where these star explosions rarely occur. The unusual phenomenon is a sign of the upcoming solar maximum.
The plasma plume was about 125,000 miles long, 15 times longer than Earth. (Image credit: Eduardo Schaberger Paupeau)
Solar flares are powerful bursts of energy. Flares and solar flares can affect radio communications, electrical power grids, and navigation signals, and pose risks to spacecraft and astronauts.
The first expansion is classified as an X1.8 expansion. The second flare is classified as an X1.7 flare. X-Class refers to the most intense flair, while the number provides more information about its power.
To see how this type of space weather could affect Earth, please visit NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center at https://spaceweather.gov/, the US Government's official source for space weather forecasts, watches, warnings, and alerts. NASA serves as the research arm of the nation's space weather effort. NASA constantly monitors the Sun and our space environment with a fleet of spacecraft that study everything from the Sun's activity to the solar atmosphere and space particles and magnetic fields around Earth.
