Global - Technology - Review

While Americans prepared for their 4th of July celebrations, NASA released a picture of a solar firework display.
This image, captured by the Solar Dynamics Observatory, shows the M5.3 class solar flare that peaked on July 4, 2012, at 5:55 AM EDT. The flare is shown in the 131 Angstrom wavelength, a wavelength that is particularly good for capturing the radiation emitted from flares. The wavelength is typically colorized in teal as shown here.

Image Credit: NASA/SDO/AIA/Helioviewer