Discover the cosmosEach day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer.
Explanation:This could be the view from anexoplanetorbiting around ared dwarf star, but it is our own Sun.
This imageof was taken on July 22, 2026, in the Okanagan regionin the Canadian province ofBritish Columbia.
Wildfire smokefrom the Pacific Northwestacted as asolar filter, allowing the photographer to take this photo of the Sun directly.
Severalsunspotsare also visible in this eerie image; just below and right of the center isAR 4493, a fast evolving, giantactive solar regionand sunspot group.
The smoke is made of tiny particles that help block andscatterlight with bluercolors, so the light we see coming from the Sun isdimmer and redderthan usual.
Sunsets and sunrises are alsomore colorfulbecause of the smoke.
Some6 billion yearsfrom now, the Sun will actually start to turn redder as it approaches itsred giantphase.
Tomorrow’s picture:What’s next?