NASA spacecraft captured a dazzling solar eruption May 3, which rose 120,000 miles above the surface of the Sun, reports Space.com.
NASA's powerful Solar Dynamics Observatory captured pictures of a solar flare that erupted from the edge of the Sun's surface and is reported to be the second largest space event in the last three days after the May Day solar eruption.
Luckily the solar eruption was not aimed towards the Earth, which could have had a potential impact. The recorded time when the solar flare was at its peak was 1:32 p.m. EDT (1732 GMT). It was classified as M5.7 class, a fairly medium-strength event, the report said.
Astronomer Phil Plait reported the event in his Bad Astronomy blog, showing an image of the solar flame with the comparison of a small blue dot in the picture described as Earth. He said that the solar eruption reached a whopping height of 120,000 miles above the surface before it faded away.
Just three days before the massive solar eruption occurred, another flare, which was set off from the surface of the sun from the very leftmost edge was captured by the Solar Dynamics Observatory, one of many spacecrafts, keeping the Sun under constant surveillance to track its solar weather events.
According to the scientists, the active region where most of the solar eruptions have occurred will be rotating towards the Earth soon.
"Increased number of flares are quite common at the moment, as the sun's normal 11-year activity cycle is ramping up toward solar maximum, which is expected in late 2013," NASA officials said in a statement.
So far, the strongest solar flare captured by the scientists is classified under M6.5-class event, still a medium-strength event, which occurred April 11.
The solar flares are classified under different levels based on their intensity. Although, M-class solar flares are described as medium-strength events, they can still have an impact on the Earth if faced directly resulting in super charging the aurora displays. M-class events are the weakest types of solar storms.
Scientists have noted the strongest type of solar storms as X-class events. The occurrence of these types of storms facing towards the Earth directly can cause significant danger to spacecrafts and the astronauts in the planet. They can defuse the Earth's communication and GPS signals causing a total radio blackout.
NASA officials said that the solar storm on Friday caused a brief radio blackout, but subsided quickly.
