On January 22, Russian astronomers observed a rare phenomenon on the Sun: a ghostly black structure formed at the center of the solar disk and was partially ejected into space. The Laboratory of Solar Astronomy at the Space Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences reported that this black cloud of plasma flowed from the Sun's corona and gradually dissipated in the surrounding solar corona.
The event, described by scientists as "very rare, beautiful, and even a bit strange," involved a cold prominence rich in neutral hydrogen that was released and scattered throughout the corona. Over about three hours, the black cloud of plasma moved along magnetic lines before completely disintegrating and disappearing. Despite its dramatic appearance, scientists noted that it should not have any impact on space weather.
"The strange black color observed is typically caused by neutral hydrogen, which can almost completely absorb incoming radiation with short wavelengths from behind," the Laboratory of Solar Astronomy explained, according to News China. This absorption gives the prominence its dark appearance against the brighter background of the Sun.
Scientists believe that the black cloud was produced by the ejection of a cold prominence rich in neutral hydrogen, launched as a result of a solar flare. In this case, coronal ejections almost did not carry matter into space; most of it returned to the Sun. Sergey Bogachev, head of the Laboratory of Solar Astronomy and Helio-Physical Instrument Engineering at the Department of Space Plasma Physics at the Space Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, clarified that from the point of view of space weather, it did not affect forecasts or assessments of the current state.
Earlier in January, solar activity had been notable. On January 3, the first solar explosion occurred on the surface of the star, when a powerful flare lasted about 25 minutes, according to Komsomolskaya Pravda. Subsequently, Bogachev announced that three powerful X-class solar flares had occurred, including one of the highest class. On January 4, six flares occurred on the Sun, indicating increased solar activity during that period. Such flares can affect space weather and, in some cases, impact satellite communications and power grids on Earth.
This article was written in collaboration with generative AI company Alchemiq