On April 2, 2014, the sun emitted a mid-level solar flare, peaking at 10:05 a.m. EDT, and NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory captured imagery of the event. Solar flares are powerful bursts of radiation. Harmful radiation from a flare cannot pass through Earth's atmosphere to physically affect humans on the ground, however — when intense enough — they can disturb the atmosphere in the layer where GPS and communications signals travel. This video from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory shows the flare in a blend of two wavelengths of extreme ultraviolet light: 304 angstroms and 171 angstroms, colorized in red and yellow, respectively.
Most NASA images are in the public domain and free to use. Credit NASA as the source. Check NASA's media usage guidelines for details. Images featuring identifiable individuals may require additional permissions.
NASA ID
GSFC_20140404_SDO_m11517_Flare
Date Created
April 4, 2014
Center
GSFC
Media Type
video
Location
Goddard Space Flight Center
Download this video in multiple resolutions. All NASA media are free for public use.
Captions
Subtitles
