Astronomy Picture of the Day [1]Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. 2023 February 22 [2]The Sun is pictured in a color that allows high detail. The large orange ball has several bright streaks and a carpet-like texture. Several prominences are visible around the edges. Please see the explanation for more detailed information. Our Increasingly Active Sun Image Credit & Copyright: [3]Mehmet Ergün Explanation: Our Sun is becoming a busy place. Only two years ago, the Sun was emerging from a [4]solar minimum so quiet that [5]months would go by [6]without even a single [7]sunspot. In contrast, already this year and well ahead of schedule, our Sun is [8]unusually active, already nearing solar activity levels seen a decade ago during the last [9]solar maximum. Our increasingly active Sun was captured two weeks ago sporting numerous [10]interesting features. [11]The image was recorded in a single color of light called [12]Hydrogen Alpha, color-inverted, and false colored. [13]Spicules carpet much of the Sun's face. The brightening towards the Sun's edges is caused by increased absorption of relatively cool solar gas and called [14]limb darkening. Just [15]outside the Sun's disk, several scintillating [16]prominences protrude, while prominences on the Sun's face are known as [17]filaments and show as light streaks. Magnetically tangled [18]active regions are both dark and light and contain cool [19]sunspots. As our [20]Sun's magnetic field winds toward solar maximum over the next few years, whether the [21]Sun's high activity will continue to increase is unknown. Tomorrow's picture: open space __________________________________________________________________ [22]< | [23]Archive | [24]Submissions | [25]Index | [26]Search | [27]Calendar | [28]RSS | [29]Education | [30]About APOD | [31]Discuss | [32]> __________________________________________________________________ Authors & editors: [33]Robert Nemiroff ([34]MTU) & [35]Jerry Bonnell ([36]UMCP) NASA Official: Phillip Newman [37]Specific rights apply. [38]NASA Web Privacy Policy and Important Notices A service of: [39]ASD at [40]NASA / [41]GSFC, [42]NASA Science Activation & [43]Michigan Tech. U. References 1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html 2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2302/SunHalphaC_Ergun_2065.jpg 3. https://www.instagram.com/mehmet.erguen/ 4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_minimum 5. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap190306.html 6. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap190715.html 7. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap150629.html 8. https://spaceweatherarchive.com/2023/02/04/sunspot-counts-hit-their-highest-level-in-9-years/ 9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_maximum 10. https://miro.medium.com/max/2400/1*Bp1dNLfyDjH2QCgALi-BrQ.jpeg 11. https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=745237160282433&set=a.220016599471161 12. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H-alpha 13. https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2017/scientists-uncover-origins-of-the-sun-s-swirling-spicules 14. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limb_darkening 15. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap220302.html 16. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap150125.html 17. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap220913.html 18. https://www.nasa.gov/feature/sdo-shows-active-regions-across-front-of-sun 19. https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/solar-activity/en/ 20. https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/suns-magnetic-field-portrayed 21. https://spaceweatherarchive.com/2023/02/04/sunspot-counts-hit-their-highest-level-in-9-years/ 22. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap230221.html 23. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html 24. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html 25. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html 26. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search 27. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html 28. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod.rss 29. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html 30. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html 31. http://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=230222 32. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap230223.html 33. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html 34. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/ 35. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html 36. http://www.astro.umd.edu/ 37. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply 38. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html 39. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/ 40. https://www.nasa.gov/ 41. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/ 42. https://science.nasa.gov/learners 43. http://www.mtu.edu/