Nasa’s Kepler space telescope has offered fresh insight on the colossal explosions that can afflict some stars.
These tremendous releases of magnetic energy – identified as superflares – could damage the environment of a nearby orbiting planet, putting at risk any lifeforms that may reside there.
Fortunately, Kepler exhibits superflares to be considerably much less frequent on slow-rotating stars like our Sun. The new observations are reported in the journal Nature.
The biggest recorded flare on the Sun was probably the “Carrington occasion” of 1 September 1859.
Described by the English astronomer Richard Carrington, this outburst sent a surge of electromagnetic radiation and charged particles towards the Earth.
The magnetic fields embedded in the bubble of matter buffeted the Earth’s personal magnetic field, generating spectacular auroral lights. Electric fields generated in telegraph wires disrupted communications.
Remarkably, a Carrington flare is puny compared to some of the events witnessed by Kepler. These superflares can be 10,000 times a lot more energetic.
The US space agency telescope is currently staring at 100,000 stars in a patch of sky about 600 to 3,000 light-years from Earth.
The flares noticed on our Sun are timid compared with the events witnessed by Kepler
It is looking for tell-tale dips in light that might indicate orbiting planets have just moved across the encounter of people stars. But in making these observations, Kepler is also gathering details on the sudden brightening that could be associated with flares.
Sources and more information:
• ‘Superflares’ from stars counted
Sun storms ‘could get stronger’ Nasa’s Kepler space telescope has provided fresh insight on the colossal explosions that can afflict some stars. These enormous releases of magnetic energy – known as superflares – could damage the atmosphere of a nearby orbiting planet, putting at risk any lifeforms that might reside there.
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