Biggest Solar Storm Since 2005

  • Released Tuesday, January 24th, 2012
  • Updated Wednesday, May 3rd, 2023 at 1:53PM
  • ID: 10899

The sun erupted late on January 22, 2012 with an M8.7 class flare, an earth-directed coronal mass ejection (CME), and a burst of fast moving, highly energetic protons known as a "solar energetic particle" event. The latter has caused the strongest solar radiation storm since September 2005 according to NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center.

Solar Dynamics Observatory captured the flare, shown here in bronze as that is the color typically used to show light in the 193 angstrom wavelength. The flare began at 10:38 PM ET on Jan. 22, peaked at 10:59 PM and ended at 11:34 PM. Credit: NASA/SDO/AIA

Solar Dynamics Observatory captured the flare, shown here in bronze as that is the color typically used to show light in the 193 angstrom wavelength. The flare began at 10:38 PM ET on Jan. 22, peaked at 10:59 PM and ended at 11:34 PM.

Credit: NASA/SDO/AIA

Solar Dynamics Observatory captured the flare, shown here in teal as that is the color typically used to show light in the 131 angstrom wavelength. The flare began at 10:38 PM ET on Jan. 22, peaked at 10:59 PM and ended at 11:34 PM. Credit: NASA/SDO/AIA

Solar Dynamics Observatory captured the flare, shown here in teal as that is the color typically used to show light in the 131 angstrom wavelength. The flare began at 10:38 PM ET on Jan. 22, peaked at 10:59 PM and ended at 11:34 PM.

Credit: NASA/SDO/AIA



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NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center


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