Solar flares are closely related to another solar phenomenon called a coronal mass ejection, or CME. Where there's a flare, there's likely to be a CME, just like where there's smoke there's fire.

Solar flares measured around X1 — like the May 13 and 14 events — indicate strong flare intensity. An X10 flare is described as as a severe event, according to NOAA.

Solar flares are closely related to another solar phenomenon called a coronal mass ejection, or CME. Where there's a flare, there's likely to be a CME, just like where there's smoke there's fire.

A blazing X2.7-class solar flare erupted from sunspot AR4087 early Tuesday, hurling a scorching wave of plasma and charged particles straight at Earth. NASA/SDO.

Solar flares are measured on a scale of A, B, C, M and X, with each class being 10 times more powerful than the previous. The most powerful solar flare of this solar cycle—of which we are ...

Camera footage arrived on Earth, showing intermittent white flecks as charged particles slammed into the lens. Video: NASA The biggest event hit on May 20, delivering a solar flare NASA estimated ...

A high-powered solar flare erupted from the sun last week, causing a major radio blackout in Europe and Asia. The eruption happened at 3:25 a.m., meaning that the sun wasn't in the Texas sky at ...

At 12:02 p.m. Eastern time on Thursday, a massive X-class solar flare — the strongest kind — launched off the sun. It was the most intense of the sun’s current 11-year cycle, and the most ...

On Oct. 3, the sun released the most powerful solar flare this solar cycle, a colossal X9.05 eruption — and it's heading for Earth.

What is a solar flare? Solar flares are caused by the Sun’s magnetic fields, which are strongest in the dark areas called sunspots. When inactive, these fields look like loops. However, when the ...

The northern lights may be visible along a stretch of northern states Tuesday night, and a recent solar flare could heavily disrupt radio frequencies this week, according to a National Oceanic and ...