Long Duration M3.2 Class Solar Flare and CME
The Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) captured this video of the M3.2 solar flare on January 19, 2012. The graph at the top indicates corresponding X-ray measurements taken by the GOES-15 satellite. Credit: NASA/SDO/GOES-15
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A coronal mass ejection beginning at about 10 AM ET on January 19, 2012, as captured by the Solar Heliospheric Observatory's LASCO C2 camera. Please Note: This video loops 3 times. Credit: NASA/SOHO
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Karen C. Fox
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Karen C. Fox
A long duration M-class flare began erupting on the sun at 8:42 AM ET on Thursday, January 19. The flare is shown in the above movie from the Solar Dynamics Observatory in a combination of light wavelengths. An earth-directed coronal mass ejection was associated with the solar flare. NASA's Space Weather Services estimates that it is traveling at over 630 miles per second and will reach Earth some time on Saturday, January 21, when strong geomagnetic storms are possible and viewers can be on the look out for increased aurora.Check back for additional information and media.For answers to these and other space weather questions, please visit thepage.
La erupción solar tipo M3.2 emitida ayer. 

Una erupción solar de larga duración que comenzó ayer a las 13:42 UTC provocó una eyección de masa coronal.

La NASA estimó que la eyección viaja a una velocidad superior a mil kilómetros por segundo e impactará la Tierra mañana a las 22:30 UTC, provocando la aparición de auroras polares y, posiblemente, fuertes tormentas geomagnéticas, lo que dañaría satélites y redes eléctricas. También calculó que impactará el planeta Marte el próximo domingo.

La erupción ocurrió en la mancha solar 1401, la cual estalló este lunes y produjo una erupción que impactó al planeta Venus, arrancando una pequeña parte de su atmósfera.