-The energy released in a typical flare is extraordinarily great (up to 10^32 erg) which happens to be more than all of the energy produced by the entire history of our civilization. -This amount of energy can be equated and equaled to that of the energy release within millions of one hundred-megaton hydrogen bombs all released at the same moment! -The duration of solar flares last from seconds up to hours. -Solar flares are generally observed within the active magnetic regions between the upper chromosphere and the lower corona. -Only a small part of this energy actually reaches the Earth, however it does influence the magnetosphere and ionosphere and still manages to influence many different areas of life on Earth. -Some examples of these areas are disturbances of communication and electronic systems, navigation, people's health and satelite life-span. -Electronic systems are effected due to the radiation which is emitted from the flares and practically the entire electromagnetic spectrum is produced. From radio waves in the long wavelength frequencies to the optical, x-ray, and gamma rays in the short wavelength frequencies.
Solar flares are responsible for the aurora borealis. As the particles accelerated by the flares approach Earth, a relatively small number of them are attracted by the Earth's magnetic pull. They are pulled toward the magnetic poles and they hit the Earth's atmosphere when they reach the poles resulting in color variations and swirls known as the Northern Lights. This is only a simple explanation, however a more in depth explanation can be found here at
A picture of the northern lights A picture of the aurora from space
