Sun Releases X1.0 Flare on October 2, 2022

  • Released Sunday, October 2, 2022
View full credits
An X1.0 class solar flare flashes on the right edge of the Sun on October 2, 2022. This image was captured by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory and shows a blend of light from the 171 and 304 angstrom wavelengths.Credit: NASA/GSFC/SDO

An X1.0 class solar flare flashes on the right edge of the Sun on October 2, 2022. This image was captured by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory and shows a blend of light from the 171 and 304 angstrom wavelengths.

Credit: NASA/GSFC/SDO

The Sun emitted a strong solar flare, peaking at 4:25 p.m. EDT on Oct. 2, 2022. NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory, which watches the Sun constantly, captured imagery 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 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 right side of the Sun on Oct. 2, 2022. This animated gif was captured by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory and shows light in the 171 angstrom wavelength.Credit: NASA/SDO

An X1.0 class solar flare flashes on the right side of the Sun on Oct. 2, 2022. This animated gif was captured by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory and shows light in the 171 angstrom wavelength.

Credit: NASA/SDO

An X1.0 class solar flare flashes on the left of the Sun on October 2, 2022. This image was captured by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory at 4:26 EDT and shows light in the 171 angstrom wavelength.Credit: NASA/SDO

An X1.0 class solar flare flashes on the left of the Sun on October 2, 2022. This image was captured by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory at 4:26 EDT and shows light in the 171 angstrom wavelength.

Credit: NASA/SDO

An X1.0 class solar flare flashes on the left of the Sun on October 2, 2022. This image was captured by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory at 4:24 EDT and shows light in the 131 angstrom wavelength.Credit: NASA/SDO

An X1.0 class solar flare flashes on the left of the Sun on October 2, 2022. This image was captured by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory at 4:24 EDT and shows light in the 131 angstrom wavelength.

Credit: NASA/SDO

For More Information

See https://blogs.nasa.gov/solarcycle25/2022/10/

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 Sunday, October 2, 2022.
This page was last updated on Wednesday, May 3, 2023 at 11:43 AM EDT.

Missions

This visualization is related to the following missions:

Series

This visualization can be found in the following series: