Sun

What you need to know about our 4-billion-year-old star, its scalding 10,000-degree surface, and its giant magnetic field farts.

Latest in Sun

Phobos passing across Sun as seen by Perseverance rover on Mars

Googly-eyed potato eclipse filmed by NASA’s Perseverance rover Googly-eyed potato eclipse filmed by NASA’s Perseverance rover

Illustration of the global coronal magnetic field as the sun rotates. The background is the solar corona observed in extreme-ultraviolet waveband, with global coronal magnetic field maps measured at different time overlapped on top of it.

The sun’s magnetic field is where the ‘stuff’ is. It can be dangerous. The sun’s magnetic field is where the ‘stuff’ is. It can be dangerous.

By Laura Baisas

A black and white image shows a silvery sheet of material toward the bottom

NASA releases first photo of 860-square-foot solar sail in orbit NASA releases first photo of 860-square-foot solar sail in orbit

Astronomy: the corona of the sun, viewed during a total solar eclipse. Process print after a photograph, 1871.

‘The sun has been eaten’: A brief history of solar eclipses ‘The sun has been eaten’: A brief history of solar eclipses

By Briley Lewis

a red aurora along with the stars of the milky way over mountains

19 magnificent images from the Astronomy Photographer of the Year shortlist 19 magnificent images from the Astronomy Photographer of the Year shortlist

By Popular Science Team

Image of June 3, 2024, solar flare

Watch a wild ‘failed eruption’ solar flare Watch a wild ‘failed eruption’ solar flare

Image of sun highlighting four solar events

Rare quadruple solar flare event captured by NASA Rare quadruple solar flare event captured by NASA

ACS3 solar sail concept art above Earth

NASA will unfurl a 860-square-foot solar sail from within a microwave-sized cube NASA will unfurl a 860-square-foot solar sail from within a microwave-sized cube

People looking up at eclipse wearing protective glasses

Internet use dipped in the eclipse’s path of totality Internet use dipped in the eclipse’s path of totality

a couple wearing glasses sits on the grass watching the eclipse

How to look at the eclipse without damaging your eyes How to look at the eclipse without damaging your eyes

By Claire Maldarelli

A cardboard pinhole camera to watch an eclipse

DIY

How to make a pinhole camera to watch the solar eclipse How to make a pinhole camera to watch the solar eclipse

By Sandra Gutierrez G.

a full moon with some clouds obscuring it

April skygazing: A total solar eclipse, a meteor shower, and the Pink Moon April skygazing: A total solar eclipse, a meteor shower, and the Pink Moon

By Laura Baisas

A man uses a tinted glass to watch as the moon passes infront of the Earth's star marking a total eclipse, the only one this year, in Vigo, northwestern Spain on March 20, 2015.

This is the most cosmically perfect time in history This is the most cosmically perfect time in history

By Popular Science Team

2017 Total Solar Eclipse timelapse

How to photograph the eclipse, according to NASA How to photograph the eclipse, according to NASA

Timelapse of total solar eclipse showcasing Baily's beads

NASA needs your smartphone during April’s solar eclipse NASA needs your smartphone during April’s solar eclipse

Why do solar eclipses happen? Why do solar eclipses happen?

By Christopher Palma/The Conversation

Why our tumultuous sun was relatively quiet in the late 1600s

Why our tumultuous sun was relatively quiet in the late 1600s Why our tumultuous sun was relatively quiet in the late 1600s

By Briley Lewis

Colorful cricket on green leaf

NASA wants you to record crickets during April’s solar eclipse NASA wants you to record crickets during April’s solar eclipse

A total solar eclipse is seen on Monday, Aug. 21, 2017, from onboard a NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center’s Gulfstream III 25,000 feet above the Oregon coast. A total solar eclipse swept across a narrow portion of the contiguous United States from Lincoln Beach, Oregon to Charleston, South Carolina.

Delta’s solar eclipse flight sold out, but your best bet to see it is still down here Delta’s solar eclipse flight sold out, but your best bet to see it is still down here

A colorized view of the DOLCE structure finalizing its uncoiling process, as seen from the boom camera, over Antarctica, on August 22, 2023.

The first-ever space solar power tests are finished after a year in orbit The first-ever space solar power tests are finished after a year in orbit