What are flares?

Flares are like when your favorite toy suddenly gets really bright and hot, just like when you leave it too close to a lamp.

Imagine you have a big, glowing ball in space, like the Sun. Sometimes, this ball gets angry or excited and sends out a giant burst of light and energy, that’s a flare!

Think about your toy again. If you turn it up to full brightness, it might even make your hands feel warm if you’re too close. The Sun does something similar when it has a flare, it sends out flashes that can be seen from Earth, and sometimes they can even affect our technology, like radios or satellites.

Flares are caused by big movements in the Sun’s atmosphere. Imagine your toy is made of moving parts that suddenly twist or snap, that's what happens on the Sun, making it light up like a firework show! Flares are like when your favorite toy suddenly gets really bright and hot, just like when you leave it too close to a lamp.

Imagine you have a big, glowing ball in space, like the Sun. Sometimes, this ball gets angry or excited and sends out a giant burst of light and energy, that’s a flare!

Think about your toy again. If you turn it up to full brightness, it might even make your hands feel warm if you’re too close. The Sun does something similar when it has a flare, it sends out flashes that can be seen from Earth, and sometimes they can even affect our technology, like radios or satellites.

Flares are caused by big movements in the Sun’s atmosphere. Imagine your toy is made of moving parts that suddenly twist or snap, that's what happens on the Sun, making it light up like a firework show!