⚡ Solar Flares
Learn about powerful explosions on the Sun, how solar flares form, how scientists classify them, and how they can affect Earth.
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0:15How Solar Flares Work
How solar flares form near sunspot groups, and how scientists classify them on the A-B-C-M-X scale.
M7.4 Flare from Active Region 13964
NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory captures an M7.4 solar flare and its complex post-flare evolution in extreme ultraviolet light.
Largest Flare yet from Solar Cycle 25
NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory captures the X8.7 flare of May 14, 2024 -- the largest flare of Solar Cycle 25 to date.
Large Solar Flares Erupt From the Sun
A side-by-side NASA comparison of two large solar flares captured by the Solar Dynamics Observatory on Nov. 14 and Nov. 30, 2025.
NOAA Satellites Detect Severe Solar Storm
NOAA's GOES-16 and GOES-18 satellites observe a powerful X-class solar flare and its associated coronal mass ejection in March 2024.
Frequently Asked Questions
How fast do solar flare effects reach Earth?
About 8 minutes — the light travel time from the Sun, since flares release energy as electromagnetic radiation.