Solar Flares

A solar flare is a large explosion of magnetic energy from the suns atmosphere causing a burst of intense brightness.

A flare occurs when magnetic energy that has built up in the solar atmosphere is suddenly released - mostly in the active regions around sunspots. Their frequency varies from several a day when the sun is particularly active, to less than one a week during quiet periods.

Large flares are less frequent than smaller ones. Solar activity varies within an 11-year cycle at the peak of which there are typically more sunspots and therefore more solar flares.

You can find out more about solar flares and monitor the sun at this website
http://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/