On 10 September this year, scientists recorded the largest solar flare emitted by the sun in almost 12 years. NASA shared a short time-lapse video (above) of the phenomenon.

In the video, two wavelengths of extreme UV rays can be seen at the same time, and each reveals different features of the sun. Both are colourised here to identify their wavelengths. The coils that can be seen after the flare are magnetic field lines reorganising themselves after the eruption. The video covers about six hours of activity.

Watch more footage (below) of this solar flare captured from the Swedish 1 m Solar Telescope, operated on the island of La Palma by the Institute for Solar Physics (ISP) of Stockholm University:

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