Furious February Flares

Narration:

Transcript:

In February 2026, one region on the Sun unleashed over 50 flares.

Solar flares are ranked by strength; M-class are medium and X-class are the most intense.

This video highlights the strongest flares, rated M5 or above.

M6.6, 10:02 UTC, 02.01.26

M6.7, 12:12 UTC, 02.01.26; X1.0 12:33 UTC, 02.01.26; M5.8, 12:50 UTC, 02.01.26

M5.1, 16:05 UTC, 02.01.26

Solar flares send energy and high-speed particles into space.

When strong enough, they can affect power grids and GPS saetllites.

X8.1, 23:57 UTC, 02.01.26; X2.8, 00:36 UTC, 02.02.26

M5.1, 02:51 UTC, 02.02.26

X1.6, 08:14 UTC, 02.02.26

M6.7, 11:24 UTC, 02.02.26

NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory watches the Sun 24/7 and captured these images.

It monitors the Sun in different wavelengths of light.

The wavelengths of light correspond to different temperatures of solar material.

M7.2, 07:01 UTC, 02.03.26

X1.5, 14:08 UTC, 02.03.26; M7.2, 14:56 UTC, 02.03.26

The flares came from an area known as an active region.

The active region was large enough to see from Earth without magnification.

Active regions have strong, tangled magnetic fields that twist until they snap, releasing solar flares.

X4.2, 12:13 UTC, 02.04.26