The dynamic energy spectrum of the X-class solar flare. /China Media Group
China's first comprehensive solar probe, the Advanced Space-based Solar Observatory (ASO-S), has successfully recorded a massive solar flare that erupted from the sun early Monday morning, the Purple Mountain Observatory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences said on Wednesday.
The imaging of the X-class solar flare (in orange). /China Media Group
The solar flare, accompanied by coronal mass ejections, is rated as the most potent X-class. It has been the strongest flare so far in the current Solar Cycle 25 that started in 2019.
The imaging of the coronal mass ejections. /China Media Group
Three payloads aboard the ASO-S, also known as Kuafu-1, tracked and recorded the solar flare, providing solar physicists with information about accelerated high-energy electrons.
Further scientific research on the flare will be carried out based on the data sent back by Kuafu-1 and multi-band data provided by relevant observation equipment at home and abroad.
The solar cycles and latest sunspot number prediction. /China Media Group
The solar probe will enable researchers to record and study more bursts as the sun is to reach the peak of its current activity cycle, which is predicted to be early this year.
China launched the Kuafu-1 probe in October 2022. It has become the world's first near-Earth satellite telescope to simultaneously monitor solar flares, coronal mass ejections and the sun's magnetic field.