One of the largest and most densely populated sunspot regions seen in more than a decade has appeared on the sun’s nearside to Earth — and has begun to unleash a barrage of solar storms that are shaking up our home star’s surface in a big way. The sunspots’ emergence could make it an interesting few weeks for Earth, which will soon be in the firing line of these eruptive dark patches. The first sunspot group, named AR3490, rotated onto the sun‘s nearside on Nov. 18 over the star’s northeastern…
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‘Peculiar’ aurora-like radio signal from sunspot discovered for the 1st time
Solar scientists have observed a stunning display of radio waves over a sunspot, and these emissions strikingly resemble auroral displays on Earth known as the Northern Lights. Happening around 25,000 miles (40,000 kilometers) over a dark, relatively cool patch of the sun, these “auroral” radio emissions could not only shine a light on the dynamics of intense solar radio bursts, but also on large starspots beyond our solar system. The signals were spotted by astronomers from New Jersey Institute of Technology’s Center for Solar-Terrestrial Research (NJIT-CSTR). “We’ve detected a peculiar…
Read MoreSolar maximum will arrive sooner and last longer than previously expected, say scientists
The sun will reach the peak of its current activity cycle in 2024, one year earlier than previous estimates, according to experts at NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC). The revised prediction now places Solar Cycle 25’s peak of activity known as “solar maximum” between January and October 2024 according to a NOAA statement. The peak will be earlier, stronger and last longer than estimates made in 2019. The solar cycle describes an approximately 11-year period of solar activity driven by the sun’s magnetic field and indicated by the frequency…
Read MoreFire in the sky: Chasing the annular solar eclipse 2023 on the Extraterrestrial Highway
ELY, Nevada — The state of Nevada is the perfect place to watch for strange things in the sky. And it’s easy to see why as you head north out of Las Vegas and turn onto state route 375, the “Extraterrestrial Highway.” This straight stretch of windblown road crosses mostly empty desert, offering vast vistas of open sky and long-distance views of the surrounding mountain ranges in the distance. Dotted along the route are UFO– and alien-themed attractions like the Alien Research Center in Crystal Springs, Nevada, a metal Quonset…
Read MoreThe annular solar eclipse of 2023 is underway! See the 1st ‘ring of fire’ photos and video
The first images of the moon passing between the sun and the Earth in a so-called “ring of fire” solar eclipse are coming in and the views are amazing. The moon and sun are aligning in what scientists call an “annular solar eclipse,” in which the moon doesn’t completely cover the sun and leaves a brilliant ring of sunlight visible, giving it a “ring of fire” effect. The solar eclipse will be visible to potentially millions of spectators across several U.S. states from Oregon to Texas, before moving on to…
Read More‘Ring of fire’ solar eclipse on Oct. 14: Will the weather cooperate?
Almost all of North America will experience a weird and dramatic event on Saturday (Oct. 14), when a partial eclipse of the sun will be visible. Depending on where you are, the sun will appear slightly dented, deeply crescent shaped or even ring-shaped. But skywatchers across the U.S. who are looking forward to viewing Saturday’s solar eclipse may run into a problem thanks to several unsettled weather systems that will predominate over the east-central part of the country, as well as along the Pacific coast. Along a path averaging 127…
Read MoreFollow the annular solar eclipse this week with SkySafari
Popular astronomy app SkySafari has added a special set of features for tracking and viewing this week’s annular solar eclipse. On Saturday (Oct. 14), the moon will pass in front of the sun, blocking most of it while leaving a “ring of fire” visible in what is known as an annular solar eclipse. To help skywatchers track the eclipse, learn about these events and stay up-to-the-minute with alerts, SkySafari has released a new set of 2023 annular solar eclipse features, available for iOS users. (An Android eclipse feature will be…
Read MoreAnnular solar eclipse 2023: Live updates
Refresh 2023-10-06T15:59:38.220Z Ring of fire solar eclipse of 2023 is one week away! The path of annularity crossing the U.S. on October 14, 2023. (Image credit: NASA Scientific Visualization Studio) The stage is set for one of the greatest sun events of 2023, if not the greatest skywatching event of the year! We are officially one week away from the annular solar eclipse of Oct. 14 and is one that could potentially be visible to millions of people across the United States. While not a total solar eclipse, the annular…
Read More‘Ring of fire’ eclipse Oct. 14 will be practice run for total solar eclipse next year
Scientists in the United States are excited to use the October “ring of fire” eclipse as valuable practice for a total eclipse in the Americas next year. North America will experience an annular “ring of fire” solar eclipse on Oct. 14 that crosses eight U.S. states in between Oregon and Texas. We have full details about how to watch in-person and online here, including selecting the right equipment to observe the sun safely. An annular eclipse occurs when the moon is further away from Earth, causing it to be slightly…
Read MoreMeet The Sun, Our Own Star
The Sun isn’t exactly your typical star, but its light, warmth, and overall stability has helped lead to life on Earth. The post Meet The Sun, Our Own Star appeared first on Sky & Telescope.
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