solar flare

A solar flare is a sudden flash of increased brightness on the Sun, usually observed near its surface
and in close proximity to a sunspot group.
Powerful flares are often, but not always, accompanied by a coronal mass ejection. Even the most powerful flares are barely detectable in the total solar irradiance.Solar flares occur in a power-law spectrum of magnitudes; an energy release of typically 1020 joules of energy suffices to produce a clearly observable event, while a major event can emit up to 1025 joules.Flares eject clouds of electrons, ions, and atoms through the Sun's corona into outer space, and also emit radio waves.
If ejection is in the direction of the Earth, particles associated with this disturbance can penetrate into the upper atmosphere (the ionosphere) and cause bright auroras, and may even disrupt long range radio communication.
It usually takes a day or two for the solar ejecta to reach Earth. Flares also occur on other stars, where the term stellar flare applies.
On July 23, 2012, a massive, potentially damaging, solar storm (solar flare, coronal mass ejection and electromagnetic radiation) barely missed Earth. According to NASA, there may be as much as a 12% chance of a similar event occurring between 2012 and 2022.

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