NASA Snaps the Sun Smiling While Bursting Solar Flares at Nearly 2 Million Miles an Hour

Is the Sun smiling? Is it happy to see us? Or is it flashing a pumpkin-like smile to greet us with a "Happy Halloween!"?

In a cheesy encounter in space, NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory was on its routine of observing the almighty Sun but today was positively special as the massive fiery star was caught smiling. NASA shared the cute image on Thursday, Oct. 17, on their official Twitter account.

Coronal Holes

But just like the old saying goes, "don't let a smile fool you" since these dark patches are considered coronal holes. According to NASA, they are regions where fast solar winds burst into space.

Hence, the Sun may not exactly be happy with us as it ejects solar flares at nearly 2 million miles an hour!

In the photo, two of the coronal holes appear to be sparkling eyes, while a third somehow resembles an ecstatic smile.

But according to ScienceAlert, this is a case of pareidolia, a condition in which we mistakenly believe that objects, including faces, are present in seemingly random patterns.

As several observant Twitter users have noted, the Sun's face in this image doesn't just appear to be happy. They noticed that the face structure of the iconic antagonist from Ghostbusters lore, the Stay Puft marshmallow guy, is strikingly similar to the specific proportions of the Sun.

Activity on the solar surface has started to increase as the Sun steadily moves toward its solar maximum. The solar poles are flipping as part of the Sun's 11-year cycle, and astronomers have been intently observing the processes taking place on the Sun's surface.

Geomagnetic Storm

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) recently warned of a low-intensity, G1-class geomagnetic storm on Saturday, Oct. 28. This is because the Earth is directly in the path of these coronal holes.

G1-class geomagnetic storms are the least alarming potential consequences of this unfavorable space weather. They ultimately increase the chance of auroras at the poles while frequently just minor fluctuations to electrical infrastructures.

NASA has also published a report of a solar flare that occurred earlier this month. The researchers observed that this specific solar flare is an X1 class, which is the strongest on the agency's scale for all of the Sun's outbursts.

The space agency noted that "flares and solar eruptions can impact radio communications, electric power grids, navigation signals, and pose risks to spacecraft and astronauts."

Studies suggest that solar flares may play a role in the formation of the planet's spectacular auroras, especially in the Arctic Circle and other northern locations where they are most frequently observed. However, because the Sun is the most powerful star in our solar system, one strong flare can interfere with satellites or electrical grids.

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Written by Joaquin Victor Tacla