﻿ Astronomy Picture of the Day [1]Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. 2024 May 15 [2]Part of the Sun is pictured, oriented as the right edge. The surface is textured like a carpet. Over the edge a long multi-pronged prominence stands out. Behind the Sun is the darkness of space. Please see the explanation for more detailed information. AR 3664 at the Sun's Edge Image Credit & Copyright: [3]Sebastian Voltmer Explanation: What did the monster active region that created the recent auroras look like when at the Sun's edge? There, [4]AR 3664 better showed its 3D structure. Pictured, a large multi-pronged [5]solar prominence was captured extending from chaotic [6]sunspot region AR 3664 out into space, just one example of the particle clouds ejected from this violent solar region. The Earth could [7]easily fit under this long-extended prominence. The featured image was captured two days ago from this constantly changing region. Yesterday, the [8]strongest solar flare [9]in years was expelled (not shown), a blast classified in the upper [10]X-class. [11]Ultraviolet light from that flare quickly hit the [12]Earth's atmosphere and caused shortwave [13]radio blackouts across both [14]North and South America. Although [15]now rotated to be facing slightly away from the Earth, particles from AR 3664 and subsequent [16]coronal mass ejections (CMEs) might still follow [17]curved magnetic field lines [18]across the inner [19]Solar System and create more [20]Earthly auroras. Gallery: [21]Earth Aurora from Solar Active Region 6443 Tomorrow's picture: open space __________________________________________________________________ [22]< | [23]Archive | [24]Submissions | [25]Index | [26]Search | [27]Calendar | [28]RSS | [29]Education | [30]About APOD | [31]Discuss | [32]> __________________________________________________________________ Authors & editors: [33]Robert Nemiroff ([34]MTU) & [35]Jerry Bonnell ([36]UMCP) NASA Official: Amber Straughn [37]Specific rights apply. [38]NASA Web Privacy, [39]Accessibility, [40]Notices; A service of: [41]ASD at [42]NASA / [43]GSFC, [44]NASA Science Activation & [45]Michigan Tech. U. References 1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html 2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2405/AR3664Prom_Voltmer_1728.jpg 3. https://voltmer.de/about/ 4. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap240511.html 5. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap230801.html 6. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap240513.html 7. https://3dnews.ru/assets/external/illustrations/2013/11/01/774378/kitty.jpg 8. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/sun-erupts-with-largest-flare-of-this-solar-cycle-but-auroras-unlikely/ 9. https://www.sws.bom.gov.au/Educational/2/3/9 10. https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/10109/ 11. https://science.nasa.gov/ems/10_ultravioletwaves/ 12. https://science.nasa.gov/earth/earth-atmosphere/earths-atmosphere-a-multi-layered-cake/ 13. https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/phenomena/solar-flares-radio-blackouts 14. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Americas 15. https://spaceweather.com/archive.php?view=1&day=14&month=05&year=2024 16. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coronal_mass_ejection 17. https://spaceweather.com/repeat_images/parkerspiral2.png 18. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heliospheric_current_sheet 19. https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/facts/ 20. https://www.facebook.com/media/set?set=a.431368006258449&type=3 21. https://www.facebook.com/media/set?set=a.431368006258449&type=3 22. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap240514.html 23. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html 24. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html 25. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html 26. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search 27. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html 28. https://apod.com/feed.rss 29. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html 30. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html 31. https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=240515 32. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap240516.html 33. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html 34. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/ 35. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html 36. http://www.astro.umd.edu/ 37. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply 38. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html 39. https://www.nasa.gov/general/accessibility/ 40. https://www.nasa.gov/privacy/ 41. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/ 42. https://www.nasa.gov/ 43. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/ 44. https://science.nasa.gov/learners 45. http://www.mtu.edu/