Astronomy Picture of the Day -- Four X-class Flares

NASA ^ | May 16, 2013 | (see photo credit)

[SunkenCiv]

Explanation: Swinging around the Sun's eastern limb on Monday, a group of sunspots labeled active region AR1748 has produced the first four X-class solar flares of 2013 in less than 48 hours. In time sequence clockwise from the top left, flashes from the four were captured in extreme ultraviolet images from the Solar Dynamics Observatory. Ranked according to their peak brightness in X-rays, X-class flares are the most powerful class and are frequently accompanied by coronal mass ejections (CMEs), massive clouds of high energy plasma launched into space. But CMEs from the first three flares were not Earth-directed, while one associated with the fourth flare may deliver a glancing blow to the Earth's magnetic field on May 18. Also causing temporary radio blackouts, AR1748 is likely not finished. Still forecast to have a significant chance of producing strong flares, the active region is rotating into more direct view across the Sun's nearside.

[SunkenCiv]

[Credit: NASA, Solar Dynamics Observatory, GSFC]

[SunkenCiv]

join or quit list APoD 'blog post new APoD topic Astronomy Picture of the Day topic & keyword Astronomy Chat, Bloggers & keyword Science Chat, Bloggers & keyword NASA's APoD archive Calendar 1995-present APoD on your desktop

[left that other site]

So now you’re posting X-Rated pictures?

:-)

[cripplecreek]

I must be getting old because they don’t do anything for me.

[DuncanWaring]

Same here.

[rarestia]

I’m a young guy, and these just aren’t doing anything for me. I think all of my HAM radio experiences have numbed me to X-rated flares.

[District13]

The colors! That’s what blows my mind. Nothing sexy about it. Just awesome!

[SunkenCiv]

Huhuhuh, District13 said “blows”.

[District13]

“Huhuhuh, District13 said ‘blows’.”

Okay; I BLEW it. Ha!

[RandallFlagg]

So now you’re posting X-Rated pictures?

WOO-HOO!!!
I'll call Laz!!!!!

[left that other site]

};-)

huhuhuh