From the Sun, a Strong Solar Flare Erupts on January 5, 2023
The Sun released a powerful solar flare that peaked on January 5, 2023, at 7:57 PM EDT.
The event was photographed by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory, which continuously monitors the Sun.
The image of this solar flare captured by NASA's SDO on January 5, 2023, can be seen as the bright flash in the following picture.
The image shows a portion of the extreme ultraviolet light that is colored in AIA 171 orange and highlights the extremely hot material in flares.
This solar flare is classified as an X1.2 flare.
The term X-class denotes the most intense flares, while the number provides more information about its strength.
Solar flares are extremely powerful explosions of energy. Solar flares and eruptions can affect radio communications, power grids, and navigation signals, and can endanger astronauts and spacecraft also.
To learn how such space weather may influence Earth, you can visit NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center, which is the source for space weather forecasts, watches, warnings, and alerts.