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The Sun is a hot mess right now. Solar maximum is fast approaching, and a giant dark spot on the surface of the Sun keeps growing while spewing radiation out to space in the process.
In a few weeks, the ‘90s are back in style—well, if you’re a fan of Marvel’s merry mutants, that is.
A striking set of gigantic sunspots, first spotted from Mars and now designated AR3576, is currently facing Earth, capturing the attention of astronomers, space enthusiasts, and concerned space weather forecasters.
No, you’re not seeing double. The Sun just flung out two massive flares of radiation from opposite hemispheres at nearly the same exact moment, a sign that our host star is fast approaching a period of peak activity.
Radio emissions detected about 24,855 miles (40,000 kilometers) above a dark region on the Sun have aurora-like qualities, according to a team of astronomers that studied the emissions.