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solar flare

File:X_Class_Solar_Flare_Sends_‘Shockwaves’_on_The_Sun_(6819094556).jpg · Wikimedia Commons · See Wikimedia Commons

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solar flare

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sudden flash of increased brightness on the Sun, usually observed near its surface and in close proximity to a sunspot group

AI overview

A solar flare is a sudden burst of bright light from the Sun, typically appearing near sunspots on its surface. Solar flares matter because they can affect satellites, power grids, and communications systems here on Earth.

AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.

Wikidata facts

Location
solar corona
Image
Magnificent CME Erupts on the Sun - August 31.jpg
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Commons category
Solar flares
studied by
Solar dynamo
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Encyclopedic overview

Image artifacts (diffraction spikes and vertical streaks) appearing in a CCD image of a major solar flare due to the excess incident radiation

A solar flare is a relatively intense, localized emission of electromagnetic radiation in the Sun's atmosphere. Flares occur in active regions and are often, but not always, accompanied by coronal mass ejections, solar particle events, and other eruptive solar phenomena. The occurrence of solar flares varies with the 11-year solar cycle.

Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “solar flare” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.

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