A solar eruption, also known as a solar FLARE, is an explosive release of energy from the sun's surface. It is caused by a sudden release of magnetic energy stored in the sun's atmosphere. Solar flares are usually accompanied by a coronal mass ejection, which is a large cloud of charged particles that can travel through space and cause disturbances in the Earth's magnetosphere. Solar eruptions can be extremely powerful, with some releasing up to 1025 joules of energy.