Mysteries of the Sun

Welcome to the Mysteries of the Sun. This unique NASA resource on the web, in print, and with companion videos introduces Heliophysics: the study of the Sun's influence throughout the solar system and, in particular, its connection to the Earth and the Earth’s extended space environment. Learn about topics such as Space Weather, Solar Variability, the Heliosphere, Earth’s Magnetosphere, and the Earth’s Upper Atmosphere. Come and explore our Sun!

Mysteries of the Sun cover

Jenny Mottar

Mysteries of the Sun

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This book seeks to briefly outline our current knowledge of how the Sun works and how it affects the day-to-day workings of our technologically saturated world. Just as it did our ancestors, the Sun captivates us, and our study of it continues to reveal details that broaden our understanding of our solar system and the universe we live in.

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James Webb Space Telescope

The image is divided horizontally by an undulating line between a cloudscape forming a nebula along the bottom portion and a comparatively clear upper portion. Speckled across both portions is a starfield, showing innumerable stars of many sizes. The smallest of these are small, distant, and faint points of light. The largest of these appear larger, closer, brighter, and more fully resolved with 8-point diffraction spikes. The upper portion of the image is blueish, and has wispy translucent cloud-like streaks rising from the nebula below. The orangish cloudy formation in the bottom half varies in density and ranges from translucent to opaque. The stars vary in color, the majority of which have a blue or orange hue. The cloud-like structure of the nebula contains ridges, peaks, and valleys – an appearance very similar to a mountain range. Three long diffraction spikes from the top right edge of the image suggest the presence of a large star just out of view.

Perseverance Rover

Parker Solar Probe

Juno