Solar flares, otherwise known as coronal mass ejections (CMEs), are large eruptions near the sun’s surface. The result is a large flash of light that ripples through the solar system. These solar flares cause auroras, the most noteworthy being Aurora Borealis, otherwise known as the Northern Lights. Solar flares are common, especially during the peak of the 11-year solar cycle. If these flares are too powerful, they can cause geopolitical storms such as the Carrington Event.