Nearby sun-like star EK Draconis released a record setting superflare

10. 12. 2021

Astronomers detected unusually strong flare coming out of nearby star EK Draconis. Even though the star is in many ways similar to our Sun, the flare was much bigger than anything observed in the Solar system.

Sun, coronal mass ejection

EK Draconis is much younger, it is only about 100 million years whereas the Sun is 4,5 billion years old. It is possible, the Sun was also this active, when it was this age.

Astronomers also note, that the eruption lead to a coronal mass ejection (CME). The CME observed at EK Draconis was at least 10 times stronger than any other flare detected from a sun-like star.