The sun is the beating heart of our solar system and supports all life on Earth. At Live Science, you can learn more about this precious star as it reaches a major peak in solar activity called a solar maximum. Whether it's the dazzling "shooting stars" discovered in the sun's atmosphere, a massive solar explosion felt on Earth, the most devastating solar storm in recorded history, or just spectacular images of the sun, our expert writers and editors will have you in awe of that bright ball in the sky with the latest sun news, features and articles.
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—The sun: Facts about the bright star at the center of the solar system
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March could be the best month for the northern lights for nearly a decadeMarch 2026 could be the best month for the northern lights until the mid-2030s, as celestial mechanics and solar activity combine for potentially potent results.
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The sun just experienced its first 'spotless days' in 4 years — but we're not in the clear yetEarlier this week, the number of visible sunspots on our home star fell to zero for the first time in 1,335 days. This normally indicates a period of greatly reduced solar activity, but it's still too soon to relax, experts say.
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Lucky few to see 'ring of fire' solar eclipse over Antarctica on Feb. 17This month's new moon brings an annular (or "ring of fire") solar eclipse, but it will only be visible from parts of Antarctica.
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Auroras likely as most active sunspot in years turns toward EarthThe sunspot region 4366 fired off dozens of powerful solar flares in 24 hours, including the single strongest flare since 2024. Auroras are possible later this week.
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How long does it take the sun to rotate?The time it takes for the sun to completely rotate depends where on the sun you are measuring.
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How to see 2 total solar eclipses in the next 2 years — including the 'eclipse of the century'After a two-year gap, there will be two total solar eclipses within 12 months of each other, on Aug. 12, 2026, and Aug. 2, 2027.
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Stunning time-lapse video captured using 'artificial eclipse' shows 3 massive eruptions on the sunESA's Proba-3 mission, made up of twin spacecraft capable of aligning to create artificial eclipses, has captured "rare" footage of three solar prominences erupting from the sun's mysteriously hot atmosphere.
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Earth hit by biggest 'solar radiation storm' in 23 years, triggering Northern Lights as far as Southern CaliforniaEarth's magnetic field was struck by a "severe" solar storm Monday (Jan. 19), triggering vibrant auroras in the U.S. and large parts of Europe. The storm broke a record that had stood for more than two decades.
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Giant sunspot that triggered recent solar 'superstorm' shot out nearly 1,000 flares and a secret X-rated explosion, record-breaking study revealsThe massive sunspot that sparked an "extreme" geomagnetic storm in May 2024 unleashed hundreds of other dangerous solar flares, including a hidden X-class outburst, a new paper reveals. The study sets a record for the longest continuous observation of a single active region on our home star.
