NASA Captures the Sun Coughing Out a Thrilling X-Class Solar Flare

On Friday, SDO captured views of the sun coughing out a strong X2.2 solar flare.

X-class flares are the most powerful kind.

The X2.2 solar flare occurs at 44 seconds into the video.

“Solar flares are powerful bursts of energy,“NASA saidin a statement on Friday.

NASA categorizessolar flares into classes.

A-class flares are weak, while X-class flares are the strongest.

There’s a lot of wiggle room within the X-class.

Higher numbers are more intense, with scientists having measured a whopper of an X28 in 2003.

We can expect more fun from the sun.

Whatever it gets up to, SDO will be there to document the journey.