Solar Tsunami Revealed in New Photo

08-10-2010 • SPACE.com Staff

A vivid new photo of the sun has revealed a new view of a solar eruption in the star's northern hemisphere that blasted charged particles in Earth's direction this week, according to NASA officials.

The solar storm, which NASA called a "solar tsunami" in a Friday statement, occurred Aug. 1. It was a Class C3 solar flare in which almost the entire Earth-facing side of the sun erupted in a wave of tumultuous activity. [New solar tsunami photo.]

The solar particles began striking Earth's magnetic field Tuesday and sparked a powerful 12-hour geomagnetic storm and spectacular aurora displays. The flare was not powerful enough to pose a radiation threat to astronauts living on the International Space Station, NASA officials have said.

This new multi-wavelength extreme ultraviolet photo from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory shows the sun in mid-eruption.