Heliophysicists classify solar flares according to their brightness in X-ray wavelengths. C-class flares are the smallest on the scale, with X-ray measurements in the 10^-6 watts per square meter range (W/m^2), while X-class flares can exceed 10^-4 W/m^2. Why is that important?

An X-2 solar flare has enough energy to overload satellite circuits and disrupt other forms of communication should its full force be directed at Earth.

Modern astronomers believe that solar flares, or coronal mass ejections (CME), occur when magnetic reconnection events in the Sun’s atmosphere cause a short circuit in magnetic field lines. According to one theory, “magnetic energy” then accelerates the superheated gases into space. Although no one knows what “magnetic reconnection” is, it is the only explanation offered................