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Credit & Copyright: Yohkoh
Soft X-ray Telescope,
ISAS, Japan
Explanation:
Our
Sun is really very hot. The Sun's outer
atmosphere is so hot that it emits much light in the
X-ray band, which was unexpected.
X-rays are usually emitted from objects having a temperature in the
millions of degrees, not the mere thousands of degrees of the Sun's
surface. The above X-ray picture shows the
Sun one particularly active day
in August of 1992. Evident are hot spots on the solar surface, showing that
areas above the
Sun's
surface really do reach millions of degrees. But
possibly more puzzling is the broader X-ray glow visible surrounding the
Sun.
This glow is now attributed to the Sun's X-ray
corona,
the origin of which is currently a subject of much discussion and debate. The
Sun
is one of the most photographed objects, with frequently updated pictures
available
over the WWW. In fact, an X-ray picture from Yohkoh taken earlier today
is usually
available
over the WWW. Compare it to the above picture!
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NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: Sun
Publications with words: Sun
See also:
- APOD: 2024 September 2 Á A Triangular Prominence Hovers Over the Sun
- APOD: 2024 August 18 Á A Solar Prominence Eruption from SDO
- APOD: 2024 August 4 Á Gaia: Here Comes the Sun
- APOD: 2024 July 28 Á Sun Dance
- Prominences and Filaments on the Active Sun
- APOD: 2024 May 28 Á Solar X Flare as Famous Active Region Returns
- APOD: 2024 May 26 Á A Solar Filament Erupts