Solar Flares: Explosions on the Sun’s Surface

Solar flares are sudden, intense bursts of radiation from the Sun’s surface.
They occur when magnetic energy built up in sunspots is suddenly released.
A large solar flare can release as much energy as billions of nuclear bombs.
Flares are most common during the Sun’s 11-year solar activity cycle.
They can last from a few minutes to several hours depending on intensity.
Solar flares emit radiation across the entire electromagnetic spectrum.
Intense flares can disrupt GPS, radio signals, and satellite communications on Earth.
The strongest category, X-class flares, are the most powerful solar explosions.
Flares often occur alongside coronal mass ejections that hurl plasma into space.
Astronauts in space are especially vulnerable to the radiation from solar flares.