Simultaneous Eruption of Solar Flares | 02 May 2024

Recently, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) solar dynamics observatory captured a rare celestial event that occurred with four solar flares erupting simultaneously.

It originated from three sunspots and a large magnetic filament, demonstrating complex magnetic interactions.
When the sun reaches the peak of its 11-year solar cycle known as solar maximum, it exhibits heightened activity.
- It is known as a sympathetic solar flare, where multiple eruptions occur across the Sun's magnetic field, linked by massive magnetic field loops.
Sympathetic flares are caused by one eruption triggering others, leading to Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) and massive bursts of plasma.
It is considered rare because most reported sympathetic flares involve only two linked flares, while this one involved four flares erupting in unison making it a super-sympathetic event.
These types of events have the potential to disrupt power grids, telecommunication networks on Earth, and orbiting satellites, and expose astronauts to dangerous radiation levels.
This event offers scientists an opportunity to understand the Sun's complex life cycle and magnetic interactions better.
The sun's magnetic field goes through a cycle, called the solar cycle, every 11 years the Sun's magnetic field completely flips which means the sun's north and south poles switch places.