Strong Solar Flare Erupts from Sun on January 10, 2023

  • Released Thursday, January 12, 2023
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An X1.0 class solar flare flashes on the left edge of the Sun on January 10, 2023. This image was captured by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory and shows a blend of light from the 304 and 131 angstrom wavelengths.Credit: NASA/GSFC/SDO

An X1.0 class solar flare flashes on the left edge of the Sun on January 10, 2023. This image was captured by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory and shows a blend of light from the 304 and 131 angstrom wavelengths.

Credit: NASA/GSFC/SDO

The Sun emitted a strong solar flare, peaking at 5:47 p.m. EDT on Jan. 10, 2023. NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory, which watches the Sun constantly, captured an image of the event.

Solar flares are powerful bursts of energy. Flares and solar eruptions can impact radio communications, electric power grids, navigation signals, and pose risks to spacecraft and astronauts.

This flare is classified as an X1.0 flare. X-class denotes the most intense flares, while the number provides more information about its strength.

To see how such space weather may affect Earth, please visit NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center https://spaceweather.gov/, the U.S. government’s official source for space weather forecasts, watches, warnings, and alerts. NASA works as a research arm of the nation’s space weather effort. NASA observes the Sun and our space environment constantly with a fleet of spacecraft that study everything from the Sun’s activity to the solar atmosphere, and to the particles and magnetic fields in the space surrounding Earth.

An X1.0 class solar flare flashes on the left side of the Sun on Jan. 10, 2023. This animated gif was captured by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory and shows a blend of light from the 304 and 131 angstrom wavelengths.Credit: NASA/GSFC/SDO

An X1.0 class solar flare flashes on the left side of the Sun on Jan. 10, 2023. This animated gif was captured by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory and shows a blend of light from the 304 and 131 angstrom wavelengths.

Credit: NASA/GSFC/SDO

An X1.0 class solar flare flashes on the left side of the Sun at 5:38 EST on Jan. 10, 2023. This animated gif was captured by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory and shows light in a 131 angstrom wavelength.Credit: NASA/SDO

An X1.0 class solar flare flashes on the left side of the Sun at 5:38 EST on Jan. 10, 2023. This animated gif was captured by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory and shows light in a 131 angstrom wavelength.

Credit: NASA/SDO

An X1.0 class solar flare flashes on the left side of the Sun on Jan. 10, 2023. This image was captured by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory and shows a blend of light from the 304 and 131 angstrom wavelengths.Credit: NASA/GSFC/SDO

An X1.0 class solar flare flashes on the left side of the Sun on Jan. 10, 2023. This image was captured by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory and shows a blend of light from the 304 and 131 angstrom wavelengths.

Credit: NASA/GSFC/SDO

An X1.0 class solar flare flashes on the left side of the Sun on Jan. 10, 2023. This image sequence was captured by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory and shows a blend of light from the 304 and 131 angstrom wavelengths.

Credit: NASA/GSFC/SDO

An X1.0 class solar flare flashes on the left side of the Sun on Jan. 10, 2023. This image sequence was captured by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory and shows a blend of light from the 171, 304 and 131 angstrom wavelengths.

Credit: NASA/GSFC/SDO

For More Information

See https://blogs.nasa.gov/solarcycle25/2023/01/

Credits

Please give credit for this item to:
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. However, individual items should be credited as indicated above.

This page was originally published on Thursday, January 12, 2023.
This page was last updated on Wednesday, May 3, 2023 at 11:43 AM EDT.

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