Sun has biggest solar flare of the year
The bright spot near the center of the photo is a solar flare that NASA observed on Sunday.
February 15th, 2011
12:14 PM ET

Sun has biggest solar flare of the year

If you live at a high northern or southern latitude, watch for some spectacular lights in the sky Tuesday night.

The sun unleashed its strongest solar flare of the year Sunday, and the cloud of radiation it spewed will hit Earth's magnetic field Tuesday, NASA said.

NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory recorded a brief but intense flash signaling the ejection of a cloud of ultraviolet radiation.

The source of the flare, sunspot 1158, is growing rapidly, the observatory reported.

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Filed under: Science • Space
soundoff (291 Responses)
  1. jazz

    AHA..but LATE NEWS...this happened yesterday...no wonder USA network kept hiccupping...this affects RADIOS too ya know.
    ..and SOMEBODY ELSE knew about this...the carrier beacon disappeared...

    February 16, 2011 at 4:39 am | Report abuse |
  2. jazz

    starting to look like measels there...anyone know what measels on the sun means???
    NOT GOOD.

    February 16, 2011 at 4:39 am | Report abuse |
  3. Philip

    @Allen Hill...he is not the Father. He is the son of the Father. (duh)

    February 16, 2011 at 6:24 am | Report abuse |
  4. Waiting4theShow

    Hmmm, Solar Flares?...Dec 21, 2012?...Yellowstone Eruption?...
    Kiddos, don't think we have THAT much time! Google: May 21, 2011
    That will roast your brains!

    February 16, 2011 at 7:26 am | Report abuse |
  5. Sean

    We need to take this seriously because it's not just the solar flares that we have to worry about......look around and do some research and realize that our mainstream (CNN,FOX ect) are only covering a small portion of what is really going on around the world. Mass animal death (still going on) earthquakes, volcano's, cyclones, and massive super storms. Being prepared and knowing what to do before you have our military at your door asking you to go with them to a fema based shelter. They probably have plenty of sand for you to stick your head back in at these shelters so it's all a choice.
    Whether you choose to live in denial or not, you will be the ones paying the price for not preparing for what could be the hardest days you've seen in your life. If you prepare and nothing happens did you really lose anything?

    February 16, 2011 at 8:42 am | Report abuse |
  6. Philosoraptor

    Philosoraptor wonders...
    If the world is in global warming, does that mean that Call of Duty servers are coming to an end as we speak? ðŸ™

    February 16, 2011 at 9:04 am | Report abuse |
  7. sam

    Well that explains the screwy cell reception and weirdness with my Wifi.... got to love it when atmospheric conditions mess things up and there's nothing you can do but wait for it to pass..... and then the next one hits! 8/

    February 16, 2011 at 3:09 pm | Report abuse |
  8. mememine69

    Ah that would be YOU at CNN that would blame sunspot warming on climate change. You at CNN are responsible for 25 years of needless panic.
    Journalists that covered the climate change mistake for the last 25 years of needless panic, have done to science and media, what abusive priests did to the Catholic Church. You lazy copy and paste clowns will sooner or later be charged with treason for leading us to a false war of climate variation and for condemning our children to a death by CO2. Meanwhile, the UN had allowed carbon trading to trump 3rd world fresh water relief, starvation rescue and 3rd world education for just over 25 years of climate control instead of needed population control. Call the courthouse and have theses news editors charged for perpetuating this needless panic and fear mongering.

    February 16, 2011 at 9:51 pm | Report abuse |
  9. Shakin' my head

    So typical of our puny human minds – galactic events evoking sputterings by religious fanatics, survivalists and nutcases. Get over your pathetic scrambling for meaning and control. Be glad fthat you are alive for now and don't hope to be around after the universe does what it does universally. We really ain't that special after all, in the big scheme of things. Be glad you are alive for the moment...

    February 16, 2011 at 11:31 pm | Report abuse |
  10. bubba lama

    For Gods sake! Will someone please put tinfoil over Obama's Teleprompter before the rays hit at 1829GMT!

    February 17, 2011 at 8:37 am | Report abuse |
  11. personny

    Time to put on the tin foil hats and put the microwave popcorn in the window sill.

    February 17, 2011 at 9:46 am | Report abuse |
    • zirk

      Where did you get the idea of tin foil hats? R U sure they'll work? I 'd prefer repenting my sins. That's what the Lord of the Universe is wairing for...

      February 17, 2011 at 2:01 pm | Report abuse |
  12. Sekemet

    The sun is dead. Feels like he has been stung by a scorpion and has no blood left. At least he is not shining in my direction. Dirty old dog.

    February 17, 2011 at 12:17 pm | Report abuse |
  13. Sad

    How sad to read these comments disrespectful to our Creator, no matter what happens on a daily basis we see nothing in the world makes us change and reflection.

    God have mercy on them do not know what they say forgive their ignorance.

    February 17, 2011 at 10:44 pm | Report abuse |
  14. Sad

    How sad to read these comments disrespectful to our Creator, no matter what happens on a daily basis we see nothing in the world makes us change and reflection.
    God have mercy on them do not know what they say forgive their ignorance.

    February 17, 2011 at 10:48 pm | Report abuse |
  15. leeanne brackett

    that solar storm was huge i got up at 3:15 this morning and saw a big explosion on the sun and last night i saw an eclipse

    February 18, 2011 at 6:50 pm | Report abuse |
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