NASA - Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) patch.
March 3, 2023
The Sun emitted a strong (X-class) solar flare, peaking at 12:52 p.m. EST on March 3, 2023. NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory, which watches the Sun constantly, captured an image of the event.
Animation above: NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory captured this image of a solar flare – as seen in the bright flash on the upper right – on March 3, 2023. The image shows a subset of extreme ultraviolet light that highlights the extremely hot material in flares, and which is colorized in orange. Animation Credits: NASA/SDO.
Solar flares are powerful bursts of energy. Flares and solar eruptions can impact high-frequency (HF) radio communications, electric power grids, navigation signals, and pose risks to spacecraft and astronauts.
This flare is classified as an X2.1 flare. X-class denotes the most intense flares, while the number provides more information about its strength.
Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). Image Credit: NASA
To see how such space weather may affect Earth, please visit NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center https://spaceweather.gov/, the U.S. government’s official source for space weather forecasts, watches, warnings, and alerts. NASA works as a research arm of the nation’s space weather effort. NASA observes the Sun and our space environment constantly with a fleet of spacecraft that study everything from the Sun’s activity to the solar atmosphere, and to the particles and magnetic fields in the space surrounding Earth.
Related links:
NASA's Space weather: https://www.nasa.gov/spaceweather
Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO): https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/sdo/main/index.html
Animation (mentioned), Image (mentioned), Text, Credits: NASA/Denise Hill.
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