NASA releases stunning image of solar flare; highlights its impact on Earth

American space agency NASA has released a stunning image of a powerful solar flare. The flare emitted by the Sun on May 3, 2022, peaked at 9:25 a.m. EDT, according to the space agency. The event was captured on camera by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO), which constantly monitors the Sun.

Solar flares are extremely powerful bursts of energy. Flares and solar eruptions can disrupt radio communications, electric power grids, and navigation signals, and endanger spacecraft and astronauts. This flare is classified as an X-class flare, according to NASA. The X-class denotes the most intense flares, while the number provides more information about its strength.

The space agency claimed in an Instagram post that the Sun has been "a little extra over" the last two weeks, with five moderate to intense solar flares (unexpected releases of magnetic energy). Three of them have been classified as strong since April 19. Solar flares are occasionally produced by the Sun but do not necessarily have an influence on humans on Earth.

Flares aimed toward Earth can disrupt power grids, navigational systems

However, according to NASA's Instagram post, strong solar flares that are aimed toward Earth can disrupt power grids, radio communications, and navigational systems, as well as pose a risk to spacecraft and astronauts aboard the International Space System (ISS). Notably, NASA missions research flares in order to better prepare for and reduce their effects.

The space agency said, "NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) captured this image of one of the solar flares, seen in the upper right portion of this image, on April 30. SDO’s mission is to learn how the Sun affects the Earth and near-Earth space by studying the Sun’s interior, magnetic field, atmosphere, and energy output."

(Image: @nasa/Instagram)