An astrophotographer based in Elk Grove, California managed to record the moment a solar flare spawned on the sun's surface.

Andrew McCarthy using his amateur solar telescope filmed a solar flare appeared on the sun's surface on November 29.

McCarthy said: "On the morning of the November 29 a massive M class flare happened on the sun spawning a huge prominence caught in the magnetic field lines of the sun.

"This created plasma rain raining moon-sized gobs of plasma guided in arcs by magnetic field lines."

A solar flare is a massive explosion caused by a sudden release of energy from changes in the sun's magnetic field.

On the morning of the 29th a massive M class flare happened on the sun spawning a huge prominence caught in the magnetic field lines of the sun This created plasma rain raining moon-sized gobs of plasma guided in arcs by magnetic field lines This was captured by my amateur solar telescope from my backyard. Name Andrew McCarthy Location ELK GROVE USA