Solar Observatory
- All
- News
- Videos
-
NASA’s Solar Observatory Sees Two Eclipses in One Day
In a rare celestial event, NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) captured two eclipses on July 25, 2025. First, at 2:45 UTC, the Moon passed between SDO and the Sun, covering about 62% of the solar disk. Just hours later, around 6:30 UTC, Earth itself blocked the Sun entirely from SDO’s perspective. These dual eclipses occurred during SDO’s...
-
Hubble Captures First Images of Ancient Interstellar Visitor Comet 3I/ATLAS
Hubble has captured images of comet 3I/ATLAS, an ancient interstellar object likely 7 billion years old. As only the third known visitor from beyond the solar system, it offers rare insights into distant planetary systems. With its water ice and D-type asteroid-like dust, 3I/ATLAS is now under global scientific scrutiny before it vanishes back into...
-
ESO Captures Clear Images of Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS Using VLT
The European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope has captured the clearest images so far of comet 3I/ATLAS, an interstellar visitor first spotted on July 1, 2025. Identified by its hyperbolic orbit, the comet is only the third interstellar object recorded passing through our solar system. The VLT’s deep image and timelapse confirm it is...
-
New Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS Speeds Through Solar System
Astronomers have identified 3I/ATLAS as the third confirmed interstellar comet, racing through the solar system at 68 km/s. Discovered on July 1, it will pass near the sun in October. Skywatchers can view this rare object live online tonight, thanks to a live stream by the Virtual Telescope Project using observatories in Italy.
-
Chile Observatory Captures Universe With 3,200-Megapixel Camera
Chile's Vera C. Rubin Observatory, which boasts the world's largest digital camera, has begun displaying its first images of the cosmos, allowing astronomers to figure out how the solar system formed and whether an asteroid poses a threat to Earth.
-
Sharpest Solar Images Ever: Pink 'Raindrops' On The Sun Captured In Unprecedented Detail
The corona, the Sun's outermost layer, stretches millions of kilometres into space and is mysteriously hotter than the underlying photosphere, a phenomenon known as the 'coronal heating problem.'
-
NASA Warns Of Massive Solar Storm That Could Trigger Blackouts
The powerful X2.7-class solar flare erupted from a newly active sunspot, AR4087, and peaked on May 14.
-
NASA Satellite Captures Solar Eclipse Visible Only From Space
A solar eclipse visible only from space was captured in various images thanks to the US space agency NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO).
-
Comet ATLAS Offers Stunning Display as It Nears the Sun
Comet C/2024 G3 (ATLAS) recently passed within 8 million miles of the Sun, capturing the attention of astronomers. Observed by NASA and ESA’s Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO), the comet’s tail extended dramatically as it encountered intense solar winds, providing a unique opportunity to study the Sun’s impact on comets. The event, wh...
-
Study Finds Coronal Loop Flickers Could Predict Solar Flares Hours in Advance
NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory has revealed a potential breakthrough in predicting solar flares. Scientists observed brightness fluctuations in coronal loops—plasma structures in the Sun's atmosphere—that intensify hours before solar flares occur. This discovery, with a prediction accuracy of 60–80%, may provide 2–6 hours of advance warn...
-
NASA's Solar Observatories Resume Data Operations After Flood Disruption
NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) and Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS) have resumed data operations following a flood at Stanford University on November 26, 2024. The incident damaged systems at the Joint Science Operations Center (JSOC), impacting access to critical solar data. Despite challenges, partial database restoration h...
-
Rubin Observatory’s 2025 Debut Could Unveil Hidden Dark Comets in Space
The Vera Rubin Observatory, set to begin operations in 2025, is expected to revolutionise the study of dark comets. These elusive objects, which lack visible tails but exhibit non-gravitational acceleration, have already been identified in our solar system, but their true numbers remain unknown. The observatory's advanced technology, including a po...
-
Scientists Develop New Approach to Capture Gravitational Wave Memory from Supernovae
A study published in Physical Review Letters highlights new methods to detect the gravitational wave memory effect, a unique phenomenon predicted by Einstein's general relativity. Core-collapse supernovae (massive stellar explosions) generate these low-frequency gravitational waves, offering a rare glimpse into stellar interiors. Despite their weak...
-
Namibian Observatory Spots Highest Energy Cosmic Electrons Opening Better Understanding of Cosmic Rays
The H.E.S.S. Observatory in Namibia has detected the highest-energy cosmic ray electrons ever observed, suggesting sources within a few hundred light-years. The findings point to extreme phenomena like pulsars and supernova remnants, offering insights into cosmic processes and particle accelerators. The breakthrough provides crucial data for future...
-
NASA Supercomputers Help Unravel Complex Movements of the Sun’s Inner Layers
NASA supercomputers have provided a detailed look into the Sun’s complex inner workings by simulating its plasma flows. Using data from various space missions, including the Solar Dynamics Observatory, researchers have recreated turbulent motions and shock waves within the Sun’s layers. These insights will enhance space weather predictions, whi...
-
NASA’s Solar Observatory Sees Two Eclipses in One Day
In a rare celestial event, NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) captured two eclipses on July 25, 2025. First, at 2:45 UTC, the Moon passed between SDO and the Sun, covering about 62% of the solar disk. Just hours later, around 6:30 UTC, Earth itself blocked the Sun entirely from SDO’s perspective. These dual eclipses occurred during SDO’s...
-
Hubble Captures First Images of Ancient Interstellar Visitor Comet 3I/ATLAS
Hubble has captured images of comet 3I/ATLAS, an ancient interstellar object likely 7 billion years old. As only the third known visitor from beyond the solar system, it offers rare insights into distant planetary systems. With its water ice and D-type asteroid-like dust, 3I/ATLAS is now under global scientific scrutiny before it vanishes back into...
-
ESO Captures Clear Images of Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS Using VLT
The European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope has captured the clearest images so far of comet 3I/ATLAS, an interstellar visitor first spotted on July 1, 2025. Identified by its hyperbolic orbit, the comet is only the third interstellar object recorded passing through our solar system. The VLT’s deep image and timelapse confirm it is...
-
New Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS Speeds Through Solar System
Astronomers have identified 3I/ATLAS as the third confirmed interstellar comet, racing through the solar system at 68 km/s. Discovered on July 1, it will pass near the sun in October. Skywatchers can view this rare object live online tonight, thanks to a live stream by the Virtual Telescope Project using observatories in Italy.
-
Chile Observatory Captures Universe With 3,200-Megapixel Camera
Chile's Vera C. Rubin Observatory, which boasts the world's largest digital camera, has begun displaying its first images of the cosmos, allowing astronomers to figure out how the solar system formed and whether an asteroid poses a threat to Earth.
-
Sharpest Solar Images Ever: Pink 'Raindrops' On The Sun Captured In Unprecedented Detail
The corona, the Sun's outermost layer, stretches millions of kilometres into space and is mysteriously hotter than the underlying photosphere, a phenomenon known as the 'coronal heating problem.'
-
NASA Warns Of Massive Solar Storm That Could Trigger Blackouts
The powerful X2.7-class solar flare erupted from a newly active sunspot, AR4087, and peaked on May 14.
-
NASA Satellite Captures Solar Eclipse Visible Only From Space
A solar eclipse visible only from space was captured in various images thanks to the US space agency NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO).
-
Comet ATLAS Offers Stunning Display as It Nears the Sun
Comet C/2024 G3 (ATLAS) recently passed within 8 million miles of the Sun, capturing the attention of astronomers. Observed by NASA and ESA’s Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO), the comet’s tail extended dramatically as it encountered intense solar winds, providing a unique opportunity to study the Sun’s impact on comets. The event, wh...
-
Study Finds Coronal Loop Flickers Could Predict Solar Flares Hours in Advance
NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory has revealed a potential breakthrough in predicting solar flares. Scientists observed brightness fluctuations in coronal loops—plasma structures in the Sun's atmosphere—that intensify hours before solar flares occur. This discovery, with a prediction accuracy of 60–80%, may provide 2–6 hours of advance warn...
-
NASA's Solar Observatories Resume Data Operations After Flood Disruption
NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) and Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS) have resumed data operations following a flood at Stanford University on November 26, 2024. The incident damaged systems at the Joint Science Operations Center (JSOC), impacting access to critical solar data. Despite challenges, partial database restoration h...
-
Rubin Observatory’s 2025 Debut Could Unveil Hidden Dark Comets in Space
The Vera Rubin Observatory, set to begin operations in 2025, is expected to revolutionise the study of dark comets. These elusive objects, which lack visible tails but exhibit non-gravitational acceleration, have already been identified in our solar system, but their true numbers remain unknown. The observatory's advanced technology, including a po...
-
Scientists Develop New Approach to Capture Gravitational Wave Memory from Supernovae
A study published in Physical Review Letters highlights new methods to detect the gravitational wave memory effect, a unique phenomenon predicted by Einstein's general relativity. Core-collapse supernovae (massive stellar explosions) generate these low-frequency gravitational waves, offering a rare glimpse into stellar interiors. Despite their weak...
-
Namibian Observatory Spots Highest Energy Cosmic Electrons Opening Better Understanding of Cosmic Rays
The H.E.S.S. Observatory in Namibia has detected the highest-energy cosmic ray electrons ever observed, suggesting sources within a few hundred light-years. The findings point to extreme phenomena like pulsars and supernova remnants, offering insights into cosmic processes and particle accelerators. The breakthrough provides crucial data for future...
-
NASA Supercomputers Help Unravel Complex Movements of the Sun’s Inner Layers
NASA supercomputers have provided a detailed look into the Sun’s complex inner workings by simulating its plasma flows. Using data from various space missions, including the Solar Dynamics Observatory, researchers have recreated turbulent motions and shock waves within the Sun’s layers. These insights will enhance space weather predictions, whi...
