Images taken by ESA’s Solar Orbiter spacecraft show how much the Sun changes over two years.
The Solar Orbiter spacecraft has taken new images of the Sun, showing the process of sunspot formation. This was reported by Science Alert.
According to scientists, solar activity was relatively low in 2019, and there were very few sunspots. Since then, activity has gradually increased. An image from February 2021 shows a relatively calm Sun, but an image taken last October shows the situation worsening.
The peak of this cycle is expected to occur in 2025.
The sun is a large ball of plasma, an electrically charged gas, with the amazing property of moving the magnetic field that can be built up in it. As the Sun rotates, the magnetic field trails behind it, but because the Sun rotates faster at the equator than at the poles, the lines of force get tighter and tighter.
Under this enormous stress, the lines of force sometimes break, break, or break on the surface of the Sun, and when this happens, we see a sunspot.
These dark spots on the visible surface of the Sun are areas where a thicker concentration of solar material impedes the flow of heat to the visible surface, resulting in cooler and therefore darker spots on Sun.
Astronomers note that the slow rotation of the Sun and the “continuous rotation” of the field lines means that sunspots become more numerous as the field becomes more “distorted.”
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It was previously reported that on December 14, the strongest flare occurred on the Sun since September 2017.
The sun is fast approaching its explosive peak
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Source: korrespondent
I am Ben Stock, a passionate and experienced digital journalist working in the news industry. At the Buna Times, I write articles covering technology developments and related topics. I strive to provide reliable information that my readers can trust. My research skills are top-notch, as well as my ability to craft engaging stories on timely topics with clarity and accuracy.