solar-physics

Using data from NASA’s Juno spacecraft, planetary scientists have produced the most precise measurements of Jupiter’s size in half a century and found the Solar System’s largest planet is slimmer and flatter than long believed. The post Jupiter is Little Smaller Than We Thought appeared first on Sci.News: Breaking Science News .

ESA’s Proba-3 mission is generating artificial eclipses in space, revealing unexpected behavior in the solar wind and reshaping space weather science.

For a few minutes during the eclipse, cities went silent—even underground. During the April 8, 2024, total solar eclipse, cities across the United States and Canada experienced a noticeable drop in ground vibrations. New research presented at the 2026 SSA Annual Meeting shows that urban areas within the “path of totality” briefly became quieter at [...]

Allen Hwang from Deming, New Mexico Before slipping into the morning twilight, Comet PanSTARRS put on a show April 18 as its ion tail took on a smoky, billowing appearance, likely due to a passing solar storm. The imager captured 7.5 minutes of exposure with an 11-inch RASA scope. The post A billowing tail appeared first on Astronomy Magazine .

It has been a dream of astronomers and solar scientists for ages. A new mission gives solar researchers a powerful new tool in their arsenal: on-demand, total solar eclipses. Launched in 2024, The European Space Agency’s Proba-3 mission has proven the feasibility of a free-flying, space-based coronagraph. Now, first science results from the mission are giving us a view of the origin of space weat…

The century's longest total solar eclipse is coming, and the Sun will vanish for over six minutes. Millions will see it, but only one region gets the perfect sky.

Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research have produced the most detailed simulations ever of solar prominences. These vast clouds of cooler plasma suspended in the Sun's scorching outer atmosphere have often perplexed solar astronomers. Their research reveals that two separate processes work together to keep these structures alive, and could one day help us predict the vio…

A new study warns that if satellite operators suddenly lose control during a major disruption, a catastrophic collision in orbit could happen in as little as 2.8 days. A major solar storm does not need to smash satellites apart directly to create a crisis in orbit. It may only need to interrupt the tracking, commands, [...]

The Sun A dynamic sphere of plasma photographed by NASA's SDO every 12 seconds in 12 wavelengths — from the 5,000 K surface to 10-million-degree flare plasma. Each wavelength reveals a hidden layer of solar activity. Chromosphere ~50,000 K 1024px International Space Station — NASA HD Camera Fetching data from NASA DONKI... A dynamic sphere of plasma photographed by NASA's SDO every 12 seconds in …

For months at a time, these massive formations remain suspended above the Sun, quiet and stable. Then, without warning, they can erupt. What keeps them in place until that moment has puzzled researchers for decades.

Understanding the Sun's active regions is crucial for predicting space weather, but scientists have historically lacked continuous, detailed measurements of the Sun's hidden far side. New research by a team of scientists led by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) National Solar Observatory have developed a novel approach to estimate the magnetic configuration of these hidden regions using …

A meteor cluster reveals an asteroid disintegrating near the Sun. These observations help uncover hidden asteroids and explain how space objects break apart. Scientists use global camera networks to study meteors, revealing how dust and debris from comets and asteroids behave and evolve in the solar system. A 2026 study identified a new meteor cluster [...]

From Earth, we only ever see half of the sun. The other half—the far side—is always hidden from view. But what happens there still matters. Powerful activity forming on the far side can rotate toward Earth and trigger solar storms that affect satellites, communication systems and power grids. Now, scientists have developed a new way […] The post Scientists map hidden magnetic fields on the sun’s …

From Arctic fjords and volcanic craters to medieval castles and coastal cliffs, here's where to get a clear line of sight to the total solar eclipse on Aug. 12, 2026.

A part of the Sun we never see is starting to give up its secrets. Using an unexpected approach, scientists are uncovering new patterns hidden deep within familiar data.

In 1607, Kepler observed the Sun, but his drawing was forgotten for centuries. Now, 400 years later, scientists have uncovered how it could hold the key to solving a long-standing solar mystery.

The eROSITA spacecraft has built the most precise map of soft X-rays over Earth, observing a fascinating phenomenon driven by solar winds from the sun.

Two powerful X-class solar flares erupted within hours, briefly disrupting radio signals on Earth and signaling rising solar activity.

NASA Helio Club is a collection of six club sessions, or lessons, that complete a comprehensive module created for a middle-school audience (ages 10-14) to introduce basic heliophysics concepts to learners. Designed for both after school clubs and classroom environments, each session takes approximately two hours, or approximately two class-periods. Each session includes a full collection of educ…