Explanation:
What stands between you and the Sun?
Apparently, as viewed from Paris last week, one visible thing after another.
First, in the foreground, is the
Basilica of the Sacred Heart, built in the late 1800s and located on the highest hill in
Paris,
France.
Next, well behind the basilica's towers in the
above image, are thin clouds forward scattering sunlight.
Finally, far in the distance and slightly buried into the
Sun's surface, are
sunspots, the most prominent of which is sunspot region
AR 1512
visible near the disk center.
Since the time that this sunset image was taken, the sunspot region on the far left,
AR 1515, has unleashed a
powerful solar flare.
Although most particles from that flare are expected to miss the Earth,
sky enthusiasts are
on watch for Sun events that might cause
bright auroras in an
invisible thing that stands between you and the Sun: the
Earth's atmosphere.
Slide Set
(ASOW):
Dark Energy by Prof. George Djorgovski
