The Sun emitted two intense solar flares, with the first peaking at 9:41 p.m. ET on May 7, 2024, and the second peaking at 1:09 a.m. ET on May 8, 2024.
NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) is a mission dedicated to observing the Sun and its behavior. Launched on February 11, 2010, SDO is a part of NASA’s Living With a Star (LWS) program, which aims to understand the causes of solar variability and its impacts on Earth. The observatory is equipped with a suite of instruments that provide comprehensive measurements of the solar atmosphere and solar activity.
SDO’s main goals include understanding the solar cycle, solar flares, and coronal mass ejections, as well as their effects on space weather and Earth’s environment. The observatory provides high-resolution images of the Sun in 13 different wavelengths every 12 seconds, offering unprecedented insights into solar processes. Its data are crucial for improving the ability to forecast space weather events that can affect satellite operations, power grids, and communication systems on Earth.