Tornadoes are pretty fascinating. But a tornado on the sun? Even more so (and a lot less dangerous).
NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory — a satellite keeping an eye on the sun — captured a tornado of plasma as it danced on the surface of the sun.
Get daily National news
Get daily Canada news delivered to your inbox so you'll never miss the day's top stories.
By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.
And the tornado was big — more than two Earth’s could fit inside the swirling gases.
READ MORE: 9 planets? NASA responds to claim another planet lurks in solar system
Plasma on the sun isn’t the same as the plasma in our blood (thankfully). Instead it’s ionized gas and very hot (think millions of degrees Celsius).
- Calgary area ‘very uniquely situated’ for study of hailstorms, says researcher
- New Asia Highlands exhibit, with some new species, opens at the Calgary Zoo
- Scientists find sugar in the Milky Way. It could help answer a cosmic mystery
- Meta to build $13 billion data centre in Alberta, largest outside the U.S.
This little solar tornado (little when you see it on the surface of the sun) didn’t go anywhere. In fact, it succumbed to the gravity of the sun and collapsed.
Comments
Want to discuss? Please read our Commenting Policy first.