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Credit & Copyright: Jim Lafferty
Explanation:
Does this strange dark ball look somehow familiar?
If so, that might be because it is our Sun.
In the featured image from 2012, a
detailed solar view was captured originally in a
very specific color
of red light, then rendered in black and white, and then color inverted.
Once complete, the resulting image was added to a
starfield,
then also color inverted.
Visible in the image of the Sun are
long light filaments, dark active regions,
prominences peeking around the edge, and a
moving carpet
of hot gas.
The surface of our Sun can be a busy place, in particular during
Solar Maximum, the time when its surface
magnetic
field
is wound up the most.
Besides an active Sun being so picturesque, the
plasma
expelled can also become picturesque when it impacts the
Earth's magnetosphere and creates
auroras.
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NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: Sun - stars
Publications with words: Sun - stars
See also:
- APOD: 2024 May 28 Á Solar X Flare as Famous Active Region Returns
- APOD: 2024 May 26 Á A Solar Filament Erupts
- APOD: 2024 February 19 Á Looking Sideways from the Parker Solar Probe
- Circling the Sun
- APOD: 2023 December 11 Á Solar Minimum versus Solar Maximum
- APOD: 2023 November 19 Á Space Station, Solar Prominences, Sun
- APOD: 2023 October 25 Á Gone in 60 Seconds: A Green Flash Sunset