NASA observatory sees mid-level solar flares erupting from the Sun

A mid-level flare was erupted by the Sun on Thursday morning, NASA said. The event was captured by the agency's Solar Dynamics Observatory which constantly watches the Sun.

The solar flare was classified as an M5.6-class flare, which is a mid-level solar flare, according to a tweet from NASA.

This flare had some flair! 🤩 NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory caught this M5.6-class flare erupting from the Sun early this morning.For more check out @NWSSWPC, the U.S. government’s official source for space weather forecasts, watches, warnings, and alerts. pic.twitter.com/7rX2R0lgPC

— NASA Sun & Space (@NASASun) May 19, 2022

For the unversed, solar flares are large eruptions of electromagnetic radiation from the Sun that can last from minutes to hours. They cannot pass through Earth's atmosphere to harm humans on the ground but can impact radio communications, electric power grids, navigation signals, and pose risks to spacecraft and astronauts.

NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory keeps an eye on the Sun continuously. It studies how solar activity is created and drives space weather and has greatly contributed to the scientific community's understanding of the closest star. The observatory hosts three scientific experiments: Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA), EUV Variability Experiment (EVE), Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI).