However, the dark areas that make up the facial pattern are called coronal holes, which appear as irregular black spots.
NASA’s observatory has captured what appears to be a jack-o’-lantern smile on the surface of the Sun, showing what are actually spots on the Sun’s surface that are cooler than the surrounding areas.
The image, captured by NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory, was shared by the space agency on social media last week and sparked a flurry of responses affecting the dark spot’s irregular pattern.
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The official Twitter account of NASA’s Heliophysics department noted it’s just a “smiling” sun, while the UK’s Science and Technology Facilities Council put a weight on by putting a pumpkin in the image, turning it into a lantern.
Other users have seen Stay Puft Marshmallow Man from the movie “Ghostbusters”, a lion, a bubble fish, or several snacks with smiley faces.
However, the dark areas that make up the facial pattern are called coronal holes, which appear as irregular black spots when the sun is photographed in ultraviolet light or certain types of X-ray images, according to the space agency.
Coronal holes are not as hot as the surrounding areas and are not as dense which makes them darker in appearance. It can appear on the surface of the sun at any time.
The magnetic field structure also creates coronal holes to release streams of solar wind, or charged particles, at speeds of more than 1.6 million kilometers per hour (1.6 million kilometers per hour). This wind is strong enough to hit the ground. Acting as a shield, our planet’s magnetic field greatly deflects the activity of the solar wind, but it can disturb the atmosphere.
NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory, or SDO, routinely captures these images of the sun and monitors its activity almost continuously. The orbital observatory was launched in 2010 and is part of the space agency’s Living With a Star program, which aims to analyze how solar activity affects our home planet and the distance between Earth and our star.
Charlotte Whitmore is a contributor at Mediarunsearch.co.uk, covering a broad range of topics including news, politics, business, technology, sport, entertainment, and lifestyle. She focuses on delivering clear, balanced reporting and practical information that helps readers stay informed about current events and emerging developments. Her work highlights stories that matter to everyday audiences, with an emphasis on accuracy, relevance, and accessible journalism that keeps readers connected to the issues shaping the UK and beyond.