C2.1 X-ray Fare

An impulsive C2.1 X-ray flare erupted from active region 11793. This is an earth facing location.

 

C2.1 X-ray Flare.

What is a flare anyway? A flare is a sudden brightening of the sun's surface. It effects the sun in all the levels and in all of the electromagnetic frequencies including the X-rays.

The chart overlaid on the image to the left is from NOAA/Space Weather Prediction Center  which has a very sensitive satellite that records X-rays and relays data to earth. The Levels are Categorized by intensity A, B, C for Common, M for Moderate and X for Extreme. Within each  level there are 9.9 smaller levels So Each flare receives a letter and number designation. Each level is 10 times stronger than the one before, on a logarithmic progression.

The Purple inset image is an optical X-ray
monitor from the ACE spacecraft and gives us more information on where the X Ray is coming from and the Green image is From NASA SDO spacecraft and this particular filter 094 is the most sensitive to X-Rays of all the filters. All that said, words do not do justice to what a flare is when you can see it in action.
 

In this video you can see the flare in action in many of the wavelengths.

Watch in Full screen HD whenever possible.☼