SOLAR FLARES

About six times in every ten years, the Moon is in a position so that it is exactly in front of the Sun. This causes a total eclipse, preventing the light from the Sun from reaching Earth. Instead of seeing the Sun's yellow disc as usual, we see a ring around the Moon (the Sun's corona). Just before totality (the moment when the Moon is exactly in front of the sun) we are able to see red flames. These are Solar Flares leaping from the Sun's surface and show us that the Sun isn't the peaceful star that it appears to be from Earth.

A solar flare, or prominence, occurs because of the Sun's strong magnetic energy. It is the Sun's magnetic energy which causes parts of the star to 'dampen down' or become cooler. This results in Sun Spots. However, this magnetism also causes a sudden release of energy, resulting in flames of fire, containing mostly hydrogen (the Sun's main gas), leaping thousands of kilometres into space. Energy from the sun's Solar Flares and Prominences can reach the Earth after about 24 hours. This causes auroras - multi-coloured light shows - in the sky visible from Earth. These prominences also disturb the Earth's atmosphere. Because this atmosphere is used by radio waves to bounce messages and signals from one place to another, a solar prominence will also cause radio interference.

Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights, above North America

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