[新聞] NASA發布太陽耀斑爆發新照　

太陽表面出現巨鞭！NASA發布太陽耀斑爆發新照

美國航太總署(NASA)日前發佈太陽耀斑爆發最新照片，太陽表面宛如有一條巨大的鞭子。專家認為，這是太陽「逐漸甦醒」並進入11年的太陽活動頂峰的跡象，預計太陽活動將於今年年底到達頂峰。

鳳凰科技報導，NASA太陽動力學天文台太空船拍攝的這張太陽照，「日珥」清晰可見，也就是仍然依附在太陽表面的紅色炙熱等離子體環。這次太陽耀斑被定義為M5.7級耀斑，M級耀斑是最微弱的，但仍會在地球附近引起某些效應。
在這個階段，日益增加的耀斑非常常見，因為太陽11年的活動週期正逐漸進入太陽活動頂峰。科學家一直都在追蹤太陽週期活動，在太陽活動頂峰期，一天發生多次太陽耀斑爆發是很正常的。

太陽耀斑是強烈的輻射爆發，耀斑產生的有害輻射會穿透地球大氣層，並影響地球上人類的生理健康。當它們足夠密集時，甚至會擾亂GPS和通信信號。

Look out! Nasa releases stunning image of giant 'solar whip' as sun heads for 11 year solar maximum

11 year solar maximum is expected in late 2013
Latest flare believed to have caused radio disruption on Earth

Nasa has revealed an astonishing image of a giant solar 'whip' on the surface of the sun captured as a solar flare erupted.

The amazing image, captured on May 3rd, shows a solar prominence, a loop of red hot plasma which remains attached to the sun, and appeared just as a solar flare was subsiding.
Experts say it is another sign the sun is 'waking up' as it approaches its 11 year solar maximum, which is due later this year.

A burst of solar material leaps off the left side of the sun in what is known as a prominence eruption. This image combines three images from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory captured on May 3, 2013, at 1:45 pm EDT, just as an M-class solar flare from the same region was subsiding.

WHAT IS A SOLAR PROMINENCE ?
A solar prominence is a large, bright feature extending outward from the Sun's surface.

A prominence forms over timescales of about a day, and the red-glowing looped material is plasma, a hot gas comprised of electrically charged hydrogen and helium.

An erupting prominence occurs when such a structure becomes unstable and bursts outward, releasing the plasma.

The loop was created as the sun shot out a solar flare towards Earth.
This flare is classified as an M5.7-class flare.

M-class flares are the weakest flares that can still cause some space weather effects near Earth.

Increased numbers of flares are quite common at the moment, as the sun's normal 11-year activity cycle is ramping up toward solar maximum, which is expected in late 2013, Nasa said.

'Increased numbers of flares are quite common at the moment, since the sun's normal 11-year cycle is ramping up toward solar maximum, which is expected in late 2013,' Nasa has said.

Humans have tracked this solar cycle continuously since it was discovered, and it is normal for there to be many flares a day during the sun's peak activity, Nasa said.

It claims the danger form the flare shown here has already passed.

The solar prominence is clearly visible on this full disc image of the sun captured by Nasa's SDO spacecraft.

'Solar flares are powerful bursts of radiation.

'Harmfulradiation from a flare cannot pass through Earth's atmosphere to physically affect humans on the ground, however -- when intense enough -- they can disturb the atmosphere in the layer where GPS and communications signals travel.

'Thisdisrupts the radio signals for as long as the flare is ongoing, and theradio blackout for this flare has already subsided.'
Solar flares are powerful bursts of radiation.

Harmful radiation from a flare cannotpass through Earth's atmosphere to physically affect humans on the ground, however -- when intense enough -- they can disturb the atmosphere in the layer where GPS and communications signals travel.

This disrupts the radio signals for as long as the flare is ongoing, anywhere from minutes to hours.

This image shows light in the 131-angstrom wavelength, a wavelength of light that can show material at the very hot temperatures of a solar flare and that is typically colorized in teal.

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