Animation: NASA's SLS rocket launch

A strong X1.9 solar flare erupted from the sun's surface at 9:49 p.m. ET on Nov. 30, and NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory caught it in action. The flare appears as a bright flash on the Sun’s edge, followed by a plume of hot material rising into space. Solar flares are powerful bursts of energy. They can disturb radio communications, affect navigation signals, and pose risks to spacecraft and astronauts — which is why NASA and NOAA track them so closely. Credit: NASA/SDO | NASA 360