SOLAR FLARES

Solar flares were first detected by British astronomer, Richard Carrington, during a particularly large flare in 1859. A solar flare occurs when energy that has built up in the sun's interior is suddenly released. The abrupt discharge of such incredible amount of energy manifests itself in all forms across the electromagnetic spectrum as radio waves, gamma rays and X-rays, although it is difficult to see a flare on the visible part of spectrum because the glare from the photosphere is too great.

If particles from a solar flares come into contact with earth's magnetic fields they can disrupt the communication such a radio and satellite links. Additionally, these particles are potentially lethal to astronauts working outside the Earth's atmosphere.

TIMELINE

1859 - First observation of solar flare by amateur astronomer Richard Carrington.

1956 - Largest observed solar flare occurred.

1982 - First observation of neutrons from a solar flare by Solar maximum Mission(SMM).

SOLAR WINDS

Some particles are heated to such high temperature that they are able to escape the sun's gravity. These move at rapid speeds of around 300 miles per second as a stream of particles called solar wind.

Many of the planets in the solar system generate magnetic fields, which protects them from solar wind, preventing it reaching the planet.

Sometimes, solar particles are caught in a planet's poles, where they interact with atmospheric gases causing fantastic light displays named AURORAS, like Earth's Aurorae Borealis and Australis. Auroras increase in frequency when the sun is at its period of maximum activity, which occurs every eleven years.