Having a Solar Blast

The Sun unleashed an M-2 (medium-sized) solar flare with a spectacular coronal mass ejection (CME) on June 7, 2011. The large cloud of particles mushroomed up and fell back down looking as if it covered an area of almost half the solar surface. The Solar Dynamic Observatory (SDO) observed the flare's peak at 1:41 AM ET. SDO recorded these images in extreme ultraviolet light that show a very large eruption of cool gas.



STEREO Ahead
The Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO A) captured this video of the Sun unleashed an M-2 solar flare with a spectacular coronal mass ejection (CME) on June 7, 2011.

STEREO Behind
The Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory - Behind (STEREO B) captured this video of the Sun unleashed an M-2 solar flare with a spectacular coronal mass ejection (CME) on June 7, 2011.


SDO Composite
An SDO zoom-in composite (211, 193 and 171 wavelengths) video of the M-2 solar flare and spectacular coronal mass ejection (CME) event on June 7, 2011. At the top is a graph from the GOES-15 satellite showing corresponding x-ray measurements of the event.

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