Solar flare

Solar flares are explosions on the sun's surface caused by sudden changes in the magnetic field. They are violent explosions, and it is believed that this energy is derived from the 'breaking' and subsequent 'reconnection' of the magnetic field lines of the Sun, releasing magnetic energy. Eruptive solar flares are events that are known to release between 1017 J and 1025 J of energy over time intervals ranging from milliseconds to more than an hour.