Total energy released10 septillion J
2.4 quintillionTNT sticks
100 sextillionthsSupernova blasts
Large X-class flare; equivalent to ~10 billion megatons of TNT
Photo from Wikimedia Commons
Large Solar Flare (X-class)
When the Sun has a tantrum and everyone on Earth pays attention/Events & Phenomena
An X-class solar flare is the most powerful category of solar explosion, releasing energy equivalent to billions of hydrogen bombs in minutes. The plasma eruption heats coronal material to tens of millions of kelvins and accelerates charged particles to nearly the speed of light. If the associated coronal mass ejection hits Earth, it can disrupt satellite communications, damage power grids, and produce stunning auroras visible at low latitudes. The 1859 Carrington Event, an estimated X45+ flare, caused telegraph lines to spark and catch fire.
Measurements
CME ejection speed2 million m/s
909,091Olympic swimmers
260Orbiting satellites
250,000Rolled bowling balls
Fastest CMEs exceed 2,000 km/s; typical fast ones ~1,000 km/s
Flare plasma temperature20 million K
68,458Office thermostats
64,175Human fevers
58,140Car dashboards in summer
~20 million K at the reconnection site; hotter than the Sun's core
Flare loop height100 million m
5.2 billionPenny diameters
7.2 hundredthsSun diameters
~100,000 km; magnetic loops taller than Jupiter's diameter
Peak radiated power10 sextillion W
20 sextillionLED nightlights
2.7 quintillionLawnmowers
33.3 quintillionStair climbers
Peak X-ray luminosity during the flare impulsive phase
Flare duration1,800 s
1.9 millionthsGenerations
60 millionLightning discharges
Impulsive phase lasts minutes; decay phase can last hours