sun

Astronomers Watched a “Near-Sun” Comet Disintegrate as it Flew too Close to the Sun

Comets that venture close to the Sun can transform into something beautiful, but sometimes they encounter incineration if they get…

2 years ago

Solar Orbiter’s Pictures of the Sun are Every Bit as Dramatic as You Were Hoping

On March 26th, the ESA's Solar Orbiter made its closest approach to the Sun so far. It ventured inside Mercury's…

2 years ago

The Sun Didn't Have any Sunspots for 70 Years, now we Might Know why

A study of nearly 60 stars lets us understand why our Sun was once quiet for 70 years.

2 years ago

Coronal Loops Might Not Be Loops At All

We've all seen the gorgeous images and videos of coronal loops. They're curved magnetic forms that force brightly glowing plasma…

2 years ago

A Colossal Flare Erupted From the Far Side of the Sun

Earlier this week the Sun erupted with a huge explosion, blasting solar particles millions of kilometers into space. The team…

2 years ago

During a Solar Flare, Dark Voids Move Down Towards the Sun. Now We Know Why

Solar flares are complex phenomena. They involve plasma, electromagnetic radiation across all wavelengths, activity in the Sun's atmosphere layers, and…

2 years ago

Parker Solar Probe Flies Through the Sun’s Outer Atmosphere for the First Time

For the first time ever, a spacecraft has flown through the Sun’s outer atmosphere. The Parker Solar Probe passed through…

2 years ago

Astronomy Jargon 101: Chromosphere

In this series we are exploring the weird and wonderful world of astronomy jargon! You’ll get a good look at today's…

2 years ago

This Incredible Photo of the Sun is Made up of 150,000 Individual Photographs

You’re looking at a 300-megapixel photo of our Sun. Astrophotographer Andrew McCarthy used a specially modified telescope, taking over 150,000…

2 years ago

The First Images and Videos from the Double Venus Flyby

Two spacecraft made historic flybys of Venus last week, and both sent back sci-fi-type views of the mysterious, cloud-shrouded planet.…

3 years ago