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| NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory captured this image of a solar flare, visible as the bright flash on the left, on Sept. 12, 2024. The image shows extremely hot material in flares, highlighted in gold through extreme ultraviolet light. |
HOn September 12, 2024, at 5:43 a.m. ET, the Sun released a powerful solar flare, reaching an intensity classified as X1.3. The Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) of NASA captured a dramatic image of this significant event.
Solar flares are intense bursts of radiation that can disrupt various technologies on Earth, including radio communications, power grids, and navigation systems. They also pose risks to spacecraft and astronauts. The X-class designation represents the most severe category of solar flares, with the number indicating its relative strength.
For more information on how such solar activity could impact Earth, visit NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center at [spaceweather.gov](https://spaceweather.gov/). NASA, which continually monitors the Sun and space weather through its extensive fleet of spacecraft, supports these efforts by studying solar phenomena and their effects on our space environment.