A solar flare is a sudden release of energy from the sun in the form of electromagnetic radiation. Solar flares occur when the sun’s magnetic field lines become tangled and snap, releasing stored energy in the form of heat and light. The largest solar flares are classified as X-class flares, and can release as much energy as a billion hydrogen bombs.
Solar flares are dangerous to life on Earth because they can disrupt communication systems, damage power grids, and cause harmful health effects to humans. Solar flares are also associated with coronal mass ejections (CMEs), which are massive eruptions of plasma and magnetic fields from the sun’s surface. CMEs can interact with Earth’s magnetosphere, causing geomagnetic storms that can disrupt communication systems, navigation systems, and electrical power grids.
Solar flares are monitored by spacecraft such as NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) and the European Space Agency’s Proba-2 satellite. These spacecraft allow scientists to study solar activity and warn us about potentially hazardous events.