Space enthusiasts are in for a treat this week after a photographer captured a phenomenon called Ellerman bombs on the surface of the Sun. The image was shared byand sparked quite an interest in what it means as the solar cycle is approaching its peak.
When directed toward Earth, these events interact with the upper layers of the atmosphere and result in some beautiful auroras in the night sky. Although the Earth's atmosphere protects the inhabitants from these solar expulsions, spacecraft and astronauts do not enjoy the same protections and must be shielded from them.
Weiller captured these Ellerman bombs as they were occurring on sunspots AR3140 and AR3141. The image was captured during a 30-second exposure, and scientists are guessing that a full-fledged solar flare might be coming soon.