The Sun
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![Upper row: Radio images of the 2023 Oct. 14 solar eclipse observed by the Long Wavelength Array at the Owens Valley Radio Observatory Bottom row: Schematic representation of what visible images of the eclipse looked like at the same time.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/9NXKsULo5xqSYthWosiT78-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/9NXKsULo5xqSYthWosiT78-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/9NXKsULo5xqSYthWosiT78-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/9NXKsULo5xqSYthWosiT78-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/9NXKsULo5xqSYthWosiT78-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/9NXKsULo5xqSYthWosiT78-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/9NXKsULo5xqSYthWosiT78-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/9NXKsULo5xqSYthWosiT78-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
Space photo of the week: A radio 'ring of fire' shows a solar eclipse as never seen before
By Jamie Carter published
Radio astronomers in California imaged the sun's scorching hot corona for the first time ever during a partial solar eclipse on Oct. 14.
![A video clip of a plasma loop breaking off from the sun](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ojCEV7fhp9xKdrUot7jdva-320-80.gif 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ojCEV7fhp9xKdrUot7jdva-450-80.gif 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ojCEV7fhp9xKdrUot7jdva-500-80.gif 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ojCEV7fhp9xKdrUot7jdva-650-80.gif 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ojCEV7fhp9xKdrUot7jdva-840-80.gif 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ojCEV7fhp9xKdrUot7jdva-970-80.gif 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ojCEV7fhp9xKdrUot7jdva-1024-80.gif 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ojCEV7fhp9xKdrUot7jdva-1200-80.gif 1200w)
Massive solar eruption carves 60,000-mile-long 'canyon of fire' into the sun on Halloween night
By Harry Baker published
A powerful explosion from the sun briefly opened up an enormous valley on the solar surface that was more than twice as wide as the contiguous U.S. and seven times longer than Earth.
![Two bands of dark sunspots stretch across an orange sun on a black background](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/KnRzQP2QXT4638LyWimUQn-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/KnRzQP2QXT4638LyWimUQn-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/KnRzQP2QXT4638LyWimUQn-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/KnRzQP2QXT4638LyWimUQn-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/KnRzQP2QXT4638LyWimUQn-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/KnRzQP2QXT4638LyWimUQn-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/KnRzQP2QXT4638LyWimUQn-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/KnRzQP2QXT4638LyWimUQn-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
15 signs the sun is gearing up for its explosive peak — the solar maximum
By Harry Baker published
Experts believe the upcoming solar maximum could be more active and arrive sooner than previously expected. Here are 15 signs that they are right.
![Multicolor auroras shining in the sky above a lake](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/7dZ2Rf55VkmbgQPUEjDyFS-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/7dZ2Rf55VkmbgQPUEjDyFS-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/7dZ2Rf55VkmbgQPUEjDyFS-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/7dZ2Rf55VkmbgQPUEjDyFS-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/7dZ2Rf55VkmbgQPUEjDyFS-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/7dZ2Rf55VkmbgQPUEjDyFS-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/7dZ2Rf55VkmbgQPUEjDyFS-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/7dZ2Rf55VkmbgQPUEjDyFS-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
Solar storm causes 'impossible,' pumpkin-colored auroras to fill the sky
By Harry Baker published
A striking new image shows bright orange auroras dancing in the night sky above Canada. But auroras should never be this color, so what's going on?
![A close up image of the sun's surface with added magnetic field lines](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/7jayXJqMFEKziWvnBA8eMF-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/7jayXJqMFEKziWvnBA8eMF-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/7jayXJqMFEKziWvnBA8eMF-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/7jayXJqMFEKziWvnBA8eMF-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/7jayXJqMFEKziWvnBA8eMF-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/7jayXJqMFEKziWvnBA8eMF-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/7jayXJqMFEKziWvnBA8eMF-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/7jayXJqMFEKziWvnBA8eMF-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
Scientists finally acknowledge that they got their solar cycle predictions wrong, and that we are fast approaching the sun's explosive peak
By Harry Baker published
NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center has released a "revised prediction" for the current solar cycle, which states that the upcoming solar maximum will arrive sooner and be more explosive than they initially forecast — as Live Science previously reported.
![The sun viewed through a green filter with a massive flash of light erupting from its surface](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/QpGXeYKgRdeY5QbLMa9rnE-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/QpGXeYKgRdeY5QbLMa9rnE-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/QpGXeYKgRdeY5QbLMa9rnE-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/QpGXeYKgRdeY5QbLMa9rnE-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/QpGXeYKgRdeY5QbLMa9rnE-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/QpGXeYKgRdeY5QbLMa9rnE-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/QpGXeYKgRdeY5QbLMa9rnE-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/QpGXeYKgRdeY5QbLMa9rnE-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
Historic space photo: A monstrous 'Halloween storm' explodes from the sun
By Harry Baker published
Around Halloween in 2003, a series of massive solar storms erupted from the sun, including an absolute monster coronal mass ejection (CME) that remains the most powerful solar outburst in modern records.
![Korean texts annotated with red lines](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/mf28DSuETPUBvfn8F7QXHb-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/mf28DSuETPUBvfn8F7QXHb-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/mf28DSuETPUBvfn8F7QXHb-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/mf28DSuETPUBvfn8F7QXHb-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/mf28DSuETPUBvfn8F7QXHb-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/mf28DSuETPUBvfn8F7QXHb-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/mf28DSuETPUBvfn8F7QXHb-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/mf28DSuETPUBvfn8F7QXHb-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
Strange anomaly in sun's solar cycle discovered in centuries-old texts from Korea
By Harry Baker published
Aurora records in royal chronicles from Korea show that during the 'Maunder Minimum' between 1645 and 1715, the sun's solar cycles became several years shorter than they are today.
![the moon eclipses most of the sun](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/8jCcsNupBerScSi7VGFE5N-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/8jCcsNupBerScSi7VGFE5N-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/8jCcsNupBerScSi7VGFE5N-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/8jCcsNupBerScSi7VGFE5N-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/8jCcsNupBerScSi7VGFE5N-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/8jCcsNupBerScSi7VGFE5N-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/8jCcsNupBerScSi7VGFE5N-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/8jCcsNupBerScSi7VGFE5N-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
The best photos of the Oct. 14 'ring of fire' eclipse over North America
By Brandon Specktor published
Almost every part of North, Central and South America had a view of a partial solar eclipse on Oct. 14, with millions of lucky viewers witnessing a glorious 'ring of fire' around the moon.
![Screenshot of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration satellites GOES-East and GOES-West watched as the shadow of the moon darkened the surface of Earth.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/wtbN8SgpwgU9XY38EPpd2V-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/wtbN8SgpwgU9XY38EPpd2V-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/wtbN8SgpwgU9XY38EPpd2V-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/wtbN8SgpwgU9XY38EPpd2V-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/wtbN8SgpwgU9XY38EPpd2V-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/wtbN8SgpwgU9XY38EPpd2V-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/wtbN8SgpwgU9XY38EPpd2V-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/wtbN8SgpwgU9XY38EPpd2V-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
See the entire 'ring of fire' eclipse in 4 seconds in stunning satellite videos
By Robert Lea published
The NOAA satellites GOES-East and GOES-West watched as the shadow of the moon darkened the surface of Earth on Saturday, Oct. 14.
![Photos of an annular total solar eclipse (left) and a total solar eclipse (right). Note that the annular eclipse is shown with a dark background, as it is only safe to view with protection – you can see how a small portion of the Sun is still visible as the ring around the Moon. On the right, you can see the Sun’s wispy corona, visible only during totality itself, when the Moon completely – or totally - hides the Sun from view.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ioqLAQ4nY7qmyVHfZjtQrn-320-80.jpg 320w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ioqLAQ4nY7qmyVHfZjtQrn-450-80.jpg 450w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ioqLAQ4nY7qmyVHfZjtQrn-500-80.jpg 500w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ioqLAQ4nY7qmyVHfZjtQrn-650-80.jpg 650w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ioqLAQ4nY7qmyVHfZjtQrn-840-80.jpg 840w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ioqLAQ4nY7qmyVHfZjtQrn-970-80.jpg 970w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ioqLAQ4nY7qmyVHfZjtQrn-1024-80.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ioqLAQ4nY7qmyVHfZjtQrn-1200-80.jpg 1200w)
NASA will fire 3 rockets directly at the solar eclipse on Saturday. Here's why.
By Brandon Specktor published
NASA researchers plan to launch three rockets carrying scientific instruments toward the moon's shadow on Oct. 14, to study changes in the atmosphere brought about by the annular solar eclipse.
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