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What causes an aurora, the northern or southern lights?
The aurora, or northern and southern lights, occur when charged particles from the sun interact with Earth's magnetic field. Read more here.
September 8, 2022
CME strikes Solar Orbiter before Venus flyby
On September 4, 2022, during a close flyby of Venus, Solar Orbiter was hit by a large CME. Fortunately, the spacecraft was unharmed.
September 5, 2022
Limb darkening is an optical effect on the sun
Limb darkening is an effect we can see on the sun where the edges of the sun are darker than the center, due to the amount of photosphere we're looking at.
August 1, 2022
Geomagnetic storms: Will you lose power where you live?
Scientists studied past geomagnetic storms to learn more about how strong storms affect the power grid. The maps here show areas most at risk.
June 29, 2022
The sun as you’ve never seen it
ESA's Solar Orbiter reached perihelion, its closest point to the sun, in March. Here are stunning closeup images as never seen before.
May 22, 2022
Why are east and west on the sun reversed?
East and west on the sun are opposite from what you might expect. On the sun, east is to the left and west is to the right. Learn why here.
May 3, 2022
A Grand Solar Minimum? Or a normal sun?
A Grand Solar Minimum happens when the peaks of several solar cycles in a row show less than average intensity. Are we in one?
May 2, 2022
What does the sun’s X-ray flux tell us?
Solar physicists often speak of the sun's X-ray flux as being high, or low. Solar flares are like waves on the background ocean of the sun's X-ray flux.
May 1, 2022
Solar filaments, aka prominences, arc upwards
Solar filaments (aka prominences, when viewed on the limb of the sun) are large, bright arcs of solar material and magnetic fields.
March 26, 2022
Solar Orbiter passes historically close to sun on Saturday
Solar Orbiter will make a historically close pass of the sun on March 26, 2022. All 10 of its instruments will be operating to acquire close-up data.
March 26, 2022
