NASA discovers square-shaped hole in Sun

Image
Press Trust of India Washington
Last Updated : May 13 2014 | 5:43 PM IST
NASA scientists have discovered a strange coronal hole, almost square in its shape, on the surface of the Sun.
The coronal hole is an area where the solar wind is streaming out of the Sun at superfast speeds, researchers said.
NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) has captured a video of the Sun's square-shaped coronal hole last week, 'Space.Com' reported.
The coronal hole appears dark because there is less material emitting light in the ultraviolet range of the spectrum used to make the video, NASA astronomers said in a video description.
"Inside the coronal hole you can see bright loops where the hot plasma outlines little pieces of the solar magnetic field sticking above the surface," they said.
"Because it is positioned so far south on the Sun, there is less chance that the solar wind stream will impact us here on Earth," they added.
According to Tech Times, coronal holes come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, including this square example. There is no single reason why this feature formed in this particular shape.
*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: May 13 2014 | 5:43 PM IST

Next Story