Solar flare. Time-lapse ultraviolet footage from the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) of a mid-level solar flare from a dynamic active region on the sun's right side. The flare displays as a bright flash, followed by spirals of magnetic field lines as the active region reorganizes itself. Solar flares are brief eruptions of intense radiation from the sun's surface. They are associated with sunspots and cause magnetic and radio disturbances on the earth. This flare occurred on April 17, 2016, and caused moderate radio blackouts. The SDO is an Earth-orbiting spacecraft launched in 2010 by NASA and used to observe the Sun. Here, the Sun is seen at several wavelengths of extreme ultraviolet light.