Our Sun helped us ring in the new year with a powerful X5.0 solar flare on 31 December, captured as a huge flash by the Solar Dynamics Observatory. The Sun affects the Earth in many more ways than just brightening your day. Solar flares are sudden bursts of energy caused by the mixing of magnetic fields near sunspots or cooler fields on the Sun's surface.

A fleet of space and ground-based vehicles monitors solar weather, which can cause disruptions to satellites, GPS and radio communications. The Sun goes through periods of high and low activity, the height of the Sun's activity is known as Solar Maximum, when solar flares and sunspots are more common. The date of the next expected solar maximum is July 2025.

Image description:

The Sun appears orange in colour, while pink highlights arc around its surface, highlighting its storms and texture. Black space surrounds the full disc of the Sun.