The longest solar burst ever detected lasted almost three weeks. Four ships had to join forces to study it

Four different spacecraft have confirmed the detection of the longest solar burst ever recorded. measured to date. Previously, the longest known lasted 5 days. However, the one just described in a studio in The Astrophysical Journal Letter It was much longer, as it lasted from August 21 to September 9, 2025. No more and no less than 19 days.

Four ships, one answer. This very special solar burst was detected for the first time by Solar Orbiter of the European Space Agency (ESA). The objective of this spacecraft is none other than to study the poles and solar winds, as well as the Sun’s magnetic field, from a close distance. It was not the first solar burst that he had detected, but he had never encountered one of these characteristics. The results were confirmed twelve days later by the ships wind and Parker Solar Probeboth from NASA. A few days later, the STEREO-Aalso from NASA, again supported the same result.

A type IV burst. This long burst is a type IV burst. A phenomenon that occurs when electrons are trapped in the Sun’s magnetic field is known as a solar flare, so that they begin to spiral around its lines, generating a large amount of electromagnetic radiation. There are five types. Those of type IV They have wide bandwidths and can last for hours. The duration of this was much longer, which is why it attracted so much attention.

The key is in coronal mass ejections. Solar flares are completely harmless. And, unlike other phenomena, such as solar winds or coronal mass ejections, they do not release plasma or charged particles, only radio waves. Therefore, they would not affect telecommunications on Earth. Now, in this case it has been seen that the burst could be related to coronal mass ejections. According to the clues collected by STEREO-A and the scientists’ reconstructions, there must have been 3 coronal mass ejections that served as food for the radio burst.

But what is that? Coronal mass ejections are abrupt releases of plasma that are generated in the solar corona when a lot of energy accumulates in it. Possibly, these three ejections were supplying electrons to the explosion, such that there were always electrons trapped and rotating around the magnetic field. That, possibly, is what made this burst last so long. When he was running out of “food”, the Sun was giving him more.

Very important. These types of findings are very important because they help us better understand how the Sun works. Solar activity follows cycles of approximately 11 years, with peaks and low points. In 2025 there was a big peak, especially active. Studying everything that happened at that time is very useful to better understand this type of phenomena, especially those that can affect telecommunications, such as solar winds or coronal mass ejections themselves. In this case, the ejecta had not been seen as such, but the long trail they left had been seen. Analyzing that footprint is as useful as it is for paleontologists to study those left by the dinosaurs.

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