NASA Scientists Answer Top Space Weather Questions

On May 13, 2013, the sun emitted an X2.8-class flare, peaking at 12:05 p.m. EDT. This is the the strongest X-class flare of 2013 so far, surpassing in strength the X1.7-class flare that occurred 14 hours earlier. It is the 16th X-class flare of the current solar cycle and the third-largest flare of that cycle. The second-strongest was an X5.4 event on March 7, 2012. The strongest was an X6.9 on Aug. 9, 2011.On May 12, 2013, the sun emitted a significant solar flare, peaking at 10 p.m. EDT. This flare is classified as an X1.7, making it the first X-class flare of 2013. The flare was also associated with another solar phenomenon, called a coronal mass ejection (CME) that can send solar material out into space. This CME was not Earth-directed. The May 12 flare was also associated with a coronal mass ejection, another solar phenomenon that can send billions of tons of solar particles into space, which can affect electronic systems in satellites and on the ground. Experimental NASA research models show that the CME left the sun at 745 miles per second and is not Earth-directed, however its flank may pass by the STEREO-B and Spitzer spacecraft, and their mission operators have been notified. If warranted, operators can put spacecraft into safe mode to protect the instruments from solar material. There is some particle radiation associated with this event, which is what can concern operators of interplanetary spacecraft since the particles can trip computer electronics on board. On May 12-13 the sun erupted with an X1.7-class and an X2.8-class flare as well as two coronal mass ejections, or CMEs, off the upper left side of the sun. Solar material also danced and blew off the sun in what ESA/SOHO SDO 304 angstrom image of prominence eruption. Cropped.Credit: NASA/SDO SDO 304 angstrom frames of May 13 flare and prominence eruption.Credit: NASA/SDO For More InformationSee [http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/sunearth/news/News051213-flare.html](http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/sunearth/news/News051213-flare.html)

The sun emitted a mid-level solar flare, peaking at 1:32 pm EDT on May 3, 2013. Solar flares are powerful bursts of radiation. Harmful radiation from a flare cannot pass through Earth NASA For More InformationSee [http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/sunearth/news/News050313-flare.html](http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/sunearth/news/News050313-flare.html)

On Nov. 13, 2012, the sun emitted a mid-level solar flare, peaking at 9:04 p.m. EST. Solar flares are powerful bursts of radiation. Harmful radiation from a flare cannot pass through Earth s telescopes can tease out different aspects of events on the sun. These three wavelengths show the sun during a solar flare on Nov. 13, 2012, from lower left to upper right : light in the 304 For More InformationSee [http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/sunearth/news/News111312-m6flare.html](http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/sunearth/news/News111312-m6flare.html)

The sun emitted a significant solar flare on Oct. 22, 2012, peaking at 11:17 p.m. EDT. The flare came from an active region on the left side of the sun that has been numbered AR 1598, which has already been the source of a number of weaker flares. This flare was classified as an X.1-class flare. s Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) in the 131 angstrom wavelength. This wavelength of light is used for observing solar material heated to 10 million degrees Kelvin, as in a solar flare. The wavelength is typically colorized in teal, as it is here. Credit: NASA/SDO The October 22 flare in 335 The October 22 flare in 304 For More InformationSee [http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/sunearth/news/News102312-xflare.html](http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/sunearth/news/News102312-xflare.html)

An X1.4 class flare erupted from the center of the sun, peaking on July 12, 2012 at 12:52 PM EDT. It erupted from Active Region 1520 which rotated into view on July 6. Video of flare using SDO AIA footage in 131(teal), 171(gold) and 335 (blue) angstrom wavelengths. Video and 4k still of flare in 131 angstrom ultraviolet light. Still of flare in 335 angstrom ultraviolet light. This image combines two sets of observations of the sun at 10:45 AM EDT, July 12, 2012 from the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) to give an impression of what the sun looked like shortly before it unleashed an X-class flare beginning at 12:11 PM EDT. The image incorporates light in the 171 angstrom wavelength, which shows off giant loops of solar material overlying the middle of the sun over Active Region 1520 where the flare originated. The second set of observations is called a magnetogram, which highlights magnetic fields on the sun. Together these kinds of observations can help scientists understand the magnetic properties of the sun that lead to giant explosions like flares. Medium-size crop of AIA 171 and HMI Magnetogram image. HD-size crop of AIA 171 and HMI Magnetogram image. SOHO LASCO C2 view of emerging CME. The white circle shows the position and size of the sun. For More InformationSee [http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/sunearth/news/News071212-X1.4flare.html](http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/sunearth/news/News071212-X1.4flare.html)

Active Region 1515 released an X1.1 class flare from the lower right of the sun on July 6, 2012, peaking at 7:08 PM EDT. This flare caused a radio blackout, labeled as an R3 on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations scale that goes from R1 to R5. Such blackouts can cause disruption to both high and low level radio frequencies.Earth s magnetosphere also underwent a minor geomagnetic storm on the evening of July 6 in response to relatively slow coronal mass ejections (CMEs) that have erupted from other regions on the sun since July 4. Video and still image of flare. Full disk image at full 4096x4096 size. The full-size frames used in the video are also available. For More InformationSee [http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/sunearth/news/News070712-X1.1flare.html](http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/sunearth/news/News070712-X1.1flare.html)

NASA scientists answer some frequently asked questions about the sun, space weather, and the effects on Earth. Each video is one or more scientists responding to the question above it. The videos are available as ProRes files for broadcast use and have had minor audio equalizing and color correction applied.The scientists interviewed are:Dr. Holly Gilbert, NASA HeliophysicistDr. Alex Young, NASA HeliophysicistDr. Phil Chamberlin, NASA Research Heliophysicist and SDO Deputy Project ScientistThere are also two short videos created with this interview content. They are available here.Additional responses to these questions are available upon specific request.For space weather-related footage, animations, and features, visit the Space Weather gallery. What is space weather? Holly Gilbert answers.For complete transcript, click here. What is a solar flare? Phil Chamberlin answers.For complete transcript, click here. What is a coronal mass ejection (CME)?Phil Chamberlin answers.For complete transcript, click here. What are solar energetic particles (SEP)?Phil Chamberlin and Holly Gilbert answer.For complete transcript, click here. What is the solar wind?Alex Young answers.For complete transcript, click here. What is a solar storm?Alex Young answers.For complete transcript, click here. What causes flares and CMEs?Phil Chamberlin answers.For complete transcript, click here. Do all flares and CMEs hit the Earth?Alex Young and Phil Chamberlin answer.For complete transcript, click here. What happens when a flare or CME reaches the Earth?Alex Young answers.For complete transcript, click here. How long does it take for space weather to reach the Earth?Alex Young, Holly Gilbert, and Phil Chamberlin answer.For complete transcript, click here. How does space weather affect me personally?Phil Chamberlin answers.For complete transcript, click here. What protects us from space weather?Holly Gilbert and Phil Chamberlin answer.For complete transcript, click here. What is the solar flare scale? Holly Gilbert answers.For complete transcript, click here. What is the solar cycle? Alex Young answers.For complete transcript, click here. What is solar maximum? Holly Gilbert answers.For complete transcript, click here. Could a really powerful CME strip off the Earth s magnetic field? Holly Gilbert answers.For complete transcript, click here. Could a really large flare kill people on Earth? Phil Chamblerlin answers.For complete transcript, click here. What is a geomagnetic storm? Alex Young answers.For complete transcript, click here. What is the KP index? Alex Young answers.For complete transcript, click here. Why are all the images and video of the sun in strange colors? Alex Young answers.For complete transcript, click here. What powers the sun? Holly Gilbert answers.For complete transcript, click here. What causes the Northern Lights (auroras)? Phil Chamberlin and Holly Gilbert answer.For complete transcript, click here. Why is it important to forecast solar events? Holly Gilbert answers.For complete transcript, click here. Why do we use satellites to look at the sun when we can do it from the ground? Phil Chamberlin answers.For complete transcript, click here. Why does NASA need a fleet of spacecraft to study space weather? Holly Gilbert answers.For complete transcript, click here.