NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory, which watches the Sun constantly, captured an image of the event. Strong solar flares like this can cause coronal mass ejections (CME); explosions of plasma and magnetic field that can cause geomagnetic storms when they are directed at Earth.

Solar flares and coronal mass ejections are normal behavior for the Sun, particularly when it's in the peak of its activity cycle, as scientists believe is the case right now. They often occur in association with each other, erupting from sunspots on the surface of the Sun.