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Backyard astronomer captures amazing solar flare images [1]

['Gail Sherman']

Date: 2024-06-05  

An amateur astronomer using a specially modified telescope captured this incredible footage of a recent solar flare. This event took place in the same region of the sun as the recent coronal mass ejection, which caused spectacular auroras and malfunctioning tractors. I find it incredible that someone can see this using equipment in their backyard.

WOW! This is the same active region that caused those aurora a few weeks ago. It's finished rotating around the back of the sun and ready to cause some havoc again!



This is the aftermath of yesterday's X class flare. pic.twitter.com/34auBgJyeI — Andrew McCarthy (@AJamesMcCarthy) May 28, 2024

An X-class flare is the most powerful class of flare. NASA posted a photo showing the size of the Earth relative to the flare,

Image: NASA

If you are curious about the difference between a solar flare and a coronal mass ejection, NASA has an excellent explainer video, but unfortunately, it isn't embeddable.

Previously: This otherworldly timelapse of the Aurora Borealis is astonishing

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