A solar flare is defined as a sudden, rapid and intense variation in brightness. A flare occurs when magnetic energy that has been built up in the solar atmosphere is suddenly released. The amount of energy released is the equivalent of millions of 100-megaton hydrogen bombs exploding all at the same time

Hi Mr. Beaudry and class, It is a very good question. Solar physicists are still trying to find out how the solar flares are created. The mystery is not fully uncovered. But it has been found that solar flares often are from sunspot regions of strong magnetic field with 'free energy'. Flares themselves are near the surface of the Sun, but larger flares often happen accompanied by Corona Mass Ejections (CMEs). CMEs are eruptive magnetic structures, and they do go out into the planetary space very far out. Many of them have hit the Earth. CMEs can go as far as 5 AU (Astronomical Unit), which is 5 times of the distance between the Sun and the Earth. If you have any further questions, I'd happy to discuss with you. Yan