They eject fast moving flows of particles and magnetic fioelds from the solar surface and inner corona. These clouds travel across interplanetary space and if the Earth happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time in its orbit, it gets blasted by this cloud which travels at several million miles per hour.
All answers are provided by Dr. Sten Odenwald (Raytheon STX)
for the
NASA IMAGE/POETRY
Education and Public Outreach program.