One way to track the solar cycle is by counting the number of sunspots, which are dark, cooler patches on the Sun’s surface.

Massive solar flares, graceful eruptions of solar material, and an enormous sunspot make up some of the imagery captured by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory in 2013 and 2014. A year ago this weekend, ...

After a calm week, the sun erupted again. A powerful M5.1 solar flare burst from an emerging sunspot region, shaking the stillness of space weather and igniting new forecasts of heightened activity.

Scientists have pulled back the curtain on one of the most extreme solar regions seen in decades, tracking it almost nonstop ...

This year has given stargazers plenty of opportunities to catch the colorful auroras of the northern lights flicker across the night sky, and that's expected to continue as the sun is now in its solar ...

How can astronomers observe and study the Sun’s activity in the most efficient way despite the Sun and Earth orbiting each ...

The colossal ball of hot gas at the center of our solar system will be lively for the next year, NASA said. The sun has reached its "solar maximum period," which is a state of heightened activity in ...

Climate data in a report published by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Climate.gov website found that the sun’s solar activity, including overall brightness and sunspot ...

Our sun has officially hit its solar maximum, with increased rates of auroras and solar flares expected in the coming months, NASA has announced. The sun goes through 11-year cycles of activity, ...

The sun's outer atmosphere has recently been likened to a pufferfish, revealing fascinating new insights into our solar system. This unique comparison stems from the first verified maps of the Alfvén ...

2025 was another busy year on the sun. But how did it compare with 2024, and what will 2026 bring for solar activity and the northern lights? When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn ...

The Sun's activity is what gives us beautiful auroras — but it also has dramatic negative effects on satellites that go around Earth in a low orbit. When you purchase through links on our site, we may ...