NASA - Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) patch.
June 25, 2015
Image above: NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory captured this image of an M7.9-class solar flare on June 25, 2015. This flare originated from the same sunspot group that has been producing minor to mid-level flare since first appearing on the face of the sun. Image Credits: NASA/SDO.
The sun emitted a mid-level solar flare, peaking at 4:16 a.m. EDT on June 25, 2015. NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory, which watches the sun constantly, captured an image 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.
Image above: Full image of the Sun. The sun emitted a mid-level solar flare, an M7.9-class, peaking at 4:16 a.m. EDT on June 25, 2015. NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory, which watches the sun constantly, captured an image of the event. Image Credit: NASA/SDO.
To see how this event may affect Earth, please visit NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center at http://spaceweather.gov, the U.S. government's official source for space weather forecasts, alerts, watches and warnings.
This flare is classified as a M7.9 flare. M-class flares are a tenth the size of the most intense flares, the X-class flares. The number provides more information about its strength. An M2 is twice as intense as an M1, an M3 is three times as intense, etc.
What is a solar flare?
For answers to this and other space weather questions, please visit the Spaceweather Frequently Asked Questions page: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/sunearth/spaceweather/index.html
Related Links:
View Past Solar Activity: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/sunearth/solar-events-news/index.html
Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO): http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/sdo/main/index.html
Images (mentioned), Text, Credits: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center/Genna Duberstein/Holly Zell.
Greetings, Orbiter.ch
