Significant 'X-class' solar flare erupts on Sun

NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory captured a major X1.6-class solar flare eruption event in the middle of the Sun on Sept. 10, 2014.

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

Solar flares are powerful bursts of radiation.

The flare classified as an X1.6 class flare, where "X-class" denotes the most intense flares, while the number provides more information about its strength.