What are solar flares?

Solar flares are defined as short-lived high-energy discharges from the Sun that occur in the Sun's atmosphere. These explosive events result from the release of magnetic energy stored in the solar atmosphere and typically last anywhere from minutes to hours. They can produce intense radiation across the electromagnetic spectrum, including visible light, radio waves, and X-rays.

This energetic release is often associated with the solar magnetic activity, such as sunspots, and can influence space weather, impacting satellite operations, radio communications, and even power grids on Earth. Understanding solar flares is crucial for predicting their effects on our technological systems and on the Earth's magnetosphere.

The other options describe phenomena unrelated to the definition of solar flares. Cloud formations on the Sun, for instance, are more accurately referred to as solar prominences or coronal mass ejections, while particles orbiting the Sun typically refer to comets, asteroids, or the solar wind. Light emitted during a solar eclipse does not denote a discharge but rather the result of the Moon blocking the Sun's light from reaching Earth.