Learn about our sun
The sun is a window into our universe!
By studying the sun, we deepen our understanding of all the other stars you see in the sky & beyond…
Eclipses
Partial Lunar Eclipse • November 18–19, 2021
Total Solar Eclipse • December 4, 2021
Eclipses occur about 2-3 times a year, but only part of the world gets to see it in-person. The next Annular Solar Eclipse will be visible in parts of the United States, Mexico, and several Central American and South American countries on October 14, 2023 at 15:03 UTC. Stay tuned for details!
Photo Credit: Stefan Seip
It’s Aurora Season
The equinox arrived September 22, 2021 at 19:21 UTC, bringing the Northern Lights season (September until March).
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OUR NEAREST STAR
Learn more about the sun, the heliosphere, space weather, solar missions, eclipses, and related science.
Current Observations
The Sun as Seen by the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) & the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO).
Exciting Missions to the Sun…
Photo Credit: Credit: ESA/ATG medialab
Solar Orbiter
The spacecraft will orbit over the uncharted polar regions, and investigate the Sun-Earth connection.
Launched February 9, 2020 • 11:03 PM EST • ULA Atlas V
Led by the European Space Agency (ESA) with strong NASA support
Photo Credit: Credit: NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio and Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
Parker Solar Probe
Humanity’s First Visit to a Star
Parker Solar Probe is a historic mission, flying into the Sun’s atmosphere (or corona) for the first time! It will have 24 orbits around the sun, traveling at a top speed of 430,000 mph—the fastest man-made object ever! It can also withstand temperatures outside the spacecraft that reach nearly 2,500°F (1,377°C)!