A strong X1.9 solar flare erupted from the sun's surface at 9:49 p.m. ET on Nov. 30, and NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory caught it in action. The flare appears as a bright flash on the Sun’s edge, followed by a plume of hot material rising into space. Solar flares are powerful bursts of energy. They can disturb radio communications, affect navigation signals, and pose risks to spacecraft and astronauts — which is why NASA and NOAA track them so closely. Credit: NASA/SDO | NASA 360

You’re watching the final Apollo crew raise the American flag on the Moon. Cernan and Schmitt work in one sixth gravity to steady the pole and salute it, leaving a symbol that has stood in Taurus–Littrow for more than fifty years. Follow @spaceeves #ApolloProgram #NASA #MoonExploration | SpaceEve