The Sun
Two Hydrogen-alpha views of our own star, revealing a dynamic solar surface shaped by magnetic fields, hot plasma and constant activity.
These images were captured through a specialised solar filter that isolates a very narrow wavelength of red light emitted by hydrogen. This reveals details in the Sun’s chromosphere that are normally hidden in ordinary white-light views.
The Sun is not a deep-sky object located in a constellation. It is the star at the centre of our Solar System.
Sunlight takes roughly 8 minutes and 20 seconds to reach Earth.
Our nearest star
The Sun is so familiar that it is easy to forget what it really is: a star. It is the closest star to Earth, the source of daylight, the driver of our seasons, and the energy source behind almost all life on our planet.
These images show the Sun in Hydrogen-alpha light. Instead of recording the full visible spectrum, Hydrogen-alpha imaging isolates a very specific red wavelength produced by hydrogen atoms. This makes it possible to see structures in the solar chromosphere, a layer above the visible surface of the Sun.
In Hydrogen-alpha, the Sun becomes a landscape of texture and motion. Dark filaments may stretch across the disc, bright active regions can appear around sunspots, and prominences may rise from the edge like arcs or flames. These features are shaped by magnetic fields and hot plasma moving through the solar atmosphere.
Unlike galaxies and nebulae, the Sun is not millions of light-years away. It is close enough for its light to reach us in just over eight minutes. Yet it is still a world of extreme physics: vast, hot, magnetic and constantly changing.
Observing the Sun reminds us that astronomy does not only happen at night. The star that lights our days is itself an active celestial object, and studying it helps us understand both our local environment and the wider behaviour of stars across the universe.
You can learn more on the dedicated Nightwise page: The Sun.
