Solar flares: What are they and how do they affect Earth?

Solar flares are large explosions from the surface of the sun that emit intense bursts of electromagnetic radiation. The intensity of the explosion determines what classification the flare belongs to. The most powerful are X-class flares, followed by M-, C- and B-class; A-class flares are the smallest.  These flares can be visible as bright flashes in a particular region of the sun and can last several minutes, according to the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR).  Solar flares occur when magnetic energy builds up in the solar atmosphere and is…

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On This Day In Space: May 17, 1974: NASA launches 1st Synchronous Meteorological satellite

On May 17, 1974, NASA launched the first Synchronous Meteorological Satellite, SMS-1. This was the first satellite designed to monitor meteorological conditions from a geostationary orbit. This kind of orbit allowed it to stay above a fixed location as Earth rotates.  One of the instruments on this spacecraft was a visible infrared spin-scan radiometer (VISSR), which provided high-quality cloud cover data 24 hours a day. It also carried a data collection and transmission system that allowed it to relay data from central weather facilities to smaller regional stations.  An artist’s…

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Watch the Humans to Mars Summit 2022: Red Planet travel and international relations take center stage

A big Mars discussion is coming to Washington, D.C. starting Tuesday (May 17). The three-day event, hosted by Explore Mars, features panel discussions and speakers from across the space industry, as well as NASA and international entities. The conference has listed its schedule of events and all speakers. The event will be hosted at George Washington University and you can register for various attendance options on EventBrite. You can also catch a livestream. Related: A brief history of Mars missions  Mars is looming big in the future following a busy…

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