The Powerful Force of Flares
The forces generated in flares can accelerate solar energetic particles along open fieldlines all the way from the Sun out to the Earth.
Li et al., Astron. & Astrophys., 503, 1013, 2009.. View full-size photo here.
From Small Beginnings ...
Even the smallest spotless active regions can generate coronal mass ejections (CMEs) that travel out across interplanetary space.
Steed et al., Ann. Geophys., 26,3159, 2008.. View full-size photo here.
One Active Region & Opposite Magnetic CMEs
A single active region can produce CMEs that have oppositely directed magnetic fields when measured near the Earth.
Harra et al., Solar Physics, 244, 85-114, 2007.. View full-size photo here.