NASA satellites spot 'fountain of fire' burst on the surface of Sun | Watch

NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) on April 25 spotted a burst of fire coming from the Sun. A video posted on YouTube showed the blast of magnetic filament booming through the atmosphere of the Sun, followed by a few shock waves stemming from the epicentre. That blast was so powerful that a “fountain of fire” burst from the surface and hundreds of thousands of kilometres into space. 

The "fountains of fire" are actually huge arches of super-hot, electrified gas, called coronal loops, that shoot out from the surface of the sun. According to Express UK, most solar storms come from sunspots, but in this instance, it was caused by a burst of magnetic filament bubbling beneath the surface. Experts have said that they do not foresee any issues for Earth as a result of the glancing blow.

Space Weather further explained that a sunspot is not needed to make a solar storm as on April 25 the Sun proved it - when a spotless patch of the Sun’s southern hemisphere erupted. The Astronomy website said that a dark filament of magnetism flew into space, lifting a semi-circular “fire fountain” behind it. The website explained that the erupting filament tore through the sun’s atmosphere, hurling a cloud of plasma into space. 

Another possible blow on April 30 

The NOAA forecasters have also said that there is now also a chance of glancing another blow on April 30. Scientists are interested in knowing more about the corona because that is the part of the sun where solar storms are generated. Solar storms, also known as Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs), are occasional eruptions of gas from the sun that stream through space at speeds of 600 miles per second or more. 

The high-energy solar winds produced by these storms have been known to temporarily alter the earth's magnetic field - often increasing displays of the Northern and Southern Lights. Less frequently, strong solar storms can also damage satellites in orbit, or disrupt power transmissions on Earth.

(Image: Pixabay)