Solar flare. Coloured image of a solar flare (upper centre). The flare is erupting from the chromosphere, the layer of the Sun above the visible surfa

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Solar flare. Coloured image of a solar flare (upper centre). The flare is erupting from the chromosphere, the layer of the Sun above the visible surface, or photosphere. Solar flares are explosive eruptions associated with active regions of the Sun. The temperature within a flare, which normally lasts for a few minutes, can reach hundreds of millions of degrees Celsius. The activity of the Sun peaks every 10-11 years. During this solar maximum, large numbers of charged particles are emitted, resulting in disruptions to communications and spectacular aurorae when they hit Earth a few days later.

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Size: 4585px × 5536px
Photo credit: © NASA/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: astronomy, chromosphere, cosmology, flare, science, solar, sun, suns, surface