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| NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory captured this teal-colored image of a solar flare on May 24, highlighting the intense heat in extreme ultraviolet light. |
On Saturday, May 24, at 9:52 p.m. ET, the Sun released a powerful solar flare, which was captured in striking detail by NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory. The observatory, which continuously monitors the Sun, recorded the moment the flare peaked.
Solar flares are intense bursts of radiation stemming from the release of magnetic energy associated with sunspots. These energetic events can affect Earth in significant ways—disrupting radio communications, electrical power grids, and navigation systems, as well as posing potential hazards to satellites and astronauts in space.
This recent flare has been classified as an X1.1 flare. The “X-class” denotes the most powerful category of solar flares, with the number specifying the intensity within that class.
For updates on how solar activity may affect Earth, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) operates the Space Weather Prediction Center, the U.S. government’s official source for space weather forecasts and alerts.
As part of the national effort to monitor and understand space weather, NASA serves as the research backbone. With a fleet of spacecraft dedicated to observing the Sun and the space environment around Earth, NASA continues to provide vital data on solar activity and its potential impacts.
