Credit: NASA/SDO
The Sun emitted a strong solar flare, peaking at 3:16 p.m. ET on Feb. 17, 2023. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory, which watches the Sun constantly, captured an image of the event.
NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory captured this image of a solar flare—as seen in the bright flash in the upper left—on Feb. 17, 2023.
The image shows a subset of extreme ultraviolet light that highlights the extremely hot material in flares and which is colorized in teal.
Solar flares are powerful bursts of energy. Flares and solar eruptions can impact radio communications, electric power grids, navigation signals, and pose risks to spacecraft and astronauts.
This flare is classified as an X2.2 flare. X-class denotes the most intense flares, while the number provides more information about its strength.
Provided by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
