el Sol

[DrLeftover]

An "X-ray eye" designed to study distant galaxies and black holes has turned its attention to our own star and snapped a remarkable portrait.

Nasa's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (Nustar), launched into orbit in 2012, views the universe in very high-energy X-rays.

Now on an extension to its original two-year mission, Nustar has already measured how fast black holes spin.

This image proves that it can gather data about the Sun.
Unique view

Because of its very high sensitivity, Nustar could solve some long-standing puzzles, such as whether "nanoflares" exist.

These proposed smaller versions of the Sun's giant flares could help explain why its outer atmosphere is many times hotter than its surface - a decades-old question.

http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-30587002

 

[Nebulous's iconNebulous]

Unrelated, I made that picture my desktop background for now.

 

[DrLeftover]

*The sun has gone quiet again during the weakest solar cycle in more than a century*

More interesting stuff:
http://vencoreweather.com/2015/02/17/29475/