Sun Emits X1.5 Flare on May 10, 2022

  • Released Saturday, May 21, 2022
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Short video of the X1.5 flare emitted by the Sun on May 10, 2022 and captured by the Solar Dynamics Observatory in three wavelengths of extreme ultraviolet light that highlight different temperatures and features of the Sun's atmosphere, the corona.

Credit: NASA/GSFC/SDO

Music: "Examples" from Universal Production Music

Complete transcript available.

The Sun emitted a strong solar flare on Tuesday, May 10, 2022, peaking at 9:55 a.m. EDT. 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 X-class 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 X1.5 class solar flare flashes in the middle of the sun on May 10, 2022. This image was captured by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory and shows a blend of light from the 171 and 131 angstrom wavelengths.Credit: NASA/SDO

An X1.5 class solar flare flashes in the middle of the sun on May 10, 2022. This image was captured by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory and shows a blend of light from the 171 and 131 angstrom wavelengths.

Credit: NASA/SDO

An X1.5 class solar flare flashes in the middle of the sun on May 10, 2022. This image was captured by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory at 13:55UT and shows light in the 131 angstrom wavelength.Credit: NASA/SDO

An X1.5 class solar flare flashes in the middle of the sun on May 10, 2022. This image was captured by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory at 13:55UT and shows light in the 131 angstrom wavelength.

Credit: NASA/SDO

An X1.5 class solar flare flashes in the middle of the sun on May 10, 2022. This image was captured by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory at 13:55UT and shows light in the 171 angstrom wavelength.Credit: NASA/SDO

An X1.5 class solar flare flashes in the middle of the sun on May 10, 2022. This image was captured by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory at 13:55UT and shows light in the 171 angstrom wavelength.

Credit: NASA/SDO

4k frame sequence and video of an X1.5 class solar flare on May 10, 2022. This sequence was captured by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory and covers the range of 13:00UT to 14:48UT with 36-second imaging cadence and shows light in the 131 angstrom wavelength.

Credit: NASA/SDO

4k frame sequence and video of an X1.5 class solar flare on May 10, 2022. This sequence was captured by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory and covers the range of 13:00UT to 14:48UT with 36-second imaging cadence and shows light in the 171 angstrom wavelength.

Credit: NASA/SDO

4k frame sequence and video of an X1.5 class solar flare on May 10, 2022. This sequence was captured by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory and covers the range of 13:00UT to 14:48UT with 36-second imaging cadence and shows light in the 304 angstrom wavelength.

Credit: NASA/SDO

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 Saturday, May 21, 2022.
This page was last updated on Wednesday, May 3, 2023 at 11:44 AM EDT.

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