

They explode into space at very high speed when the Sun’s magnetic field lines suddenly reorganize. CMEs are huge bubbles of radiation and particles from the Sun. Solar flares are sometimes accompanied by a coronal mass ejection (CME for short). A loop of solar material, a coronal mass ejection (CME), can also be seen rising up off the right limb of the Sun. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory captured this imagery of a solar flare, as seen in the bright flash. If a solar flare is very intense, the radiation it releases can interfere with our radio communications here on Earth. Solar flares release a lot of radiation into space. This can cause a sudden explosion of energy called a solar flare. The magnetic field lines near sunspots often tangle, cross, and reorganize. Image credit: NASA/SDO/AIA/HMI/Goddard Space Flight Center Solar Flares In this image, you can see an active region on the sun with dark sunspots. These magnetic fields are so strong that they keep some of the heat within the Sun from reaching the surface. Why are sunspots relatively cool? It’s because they form at areas where magnetic fields are particularly strong.


The temperature of a sunspot is still very hot though-around 6,500 degrees Fahrenheit! They appear dark because they are cooler than other parts of the Sun’s surface. Sunspots are areas that appear dark on the surface of the Sun. The glowing hot gas traces out the twists and loops of the Sun’s magnetic field lines. Solar activity can have effects here on Earth, so scientists closely monitor solar activity every day.Īn image of active regions on the Sun from NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory. The amount of solar activity changes with the stages in the solar cycle. Sometimes the Sun’s surface is very active. This motion creates a lot of activity on the Sun's surface, called solar activity. The Sun’s gases are constantly moving, which tangles, stretches and twists the magnetic fields. It has electrically charged gases that generate areas of powerful magnetic forces. The surface of the Sun is a very busy place.
