Astrophotographer snaps 'once-in-a-lifetime' shot of solar flare photobombing the ISS
An astrophotographer has captured a stunning shot of a powerful solar flare photobombing the International Space Station (ISS) as the human-inhabited spacecraft appeared to zoom across the surface of our home star.
Andrew McCarthy (aka Cosmic Background) snapped the incredible image on June 15 from a spot in the Sonoran Desert in Arizona. He was initially planning to photograph a standard "transit" photo of the ISS passing directly between Earth and the sun. However, as McCarthy was setting up his camera, he noticed that one sunspot — dubbed AR4114 — had begun to "flare to life," he told Live Science.
Through a mix of skill and luck, McCarthy snapped the space station as it whizzed almost directly past the flaring sunspot, revealing superhot loops of glowing plasma, or solar prominences, moments before they were flung into space by a powerful explosion. Capturing both objects in a single frame makes this a "once-in-a-lifetime" photo, McCarthy wrote on the social platform X.
"Ever since I started chasing ISS [solar] transits, I've dreamed of catching one with an active flare," McCarthy told Live Science in an email. "When I saw the silhouette of the ISS flash through the frame, I knew it was something special."
Being separated from the sun by 93 million miles (150 million kilometers) shielded ISS astronauts from any potentially harmful radiation from the flare. This also makes the space station loom large in the photo. But in reality, the prominences were much larger, stretching up to five times wider than Earth's diameter. "Something about the small human elements against the scale and power of the sun feels like an inspiring scene," McCarthy added.
Related: 'Never been seen before': First images from new ISS solar telescope reveal subtle 'fluctuations' in sun's outer atmosphere
Solar flares are currently exploding from the sun more frequently than usual as the sun nears the end of the most active phase in its roughly 11-year sunspot cycle, known as solar maximum. During this period, magnetic instabilities make it much easier for chunks of plasma to break away from the solar surface.
The flare in the new photo is believed to be a powerful M8.46-magnitude blast that triggered a radio blackout across parts of North America as solar radiation temporarily disrupted the sea of plasma within Earth's ionosphere — the region of the atmosphere more than 30 miles (50 kilometers) above our planet's surface, according to Live Science's sister site Space.com.
Some of the plasma within the prominences also broke away from the sun entirely, forming a magnetized cloud of fast-moving particles known as a coronal mass ejection (CME), which glanced off Earth's magnetic field three days later.
McCarthy named the new photo "Kardashev Dreams" in honor of Nikolai Kardashev, a Soviet astronomer who famously proposed the Kardashev scale, which measures the technological advancement of a planetary civilization based on the amount of energy it can harness.
Photos like these are "a symbol of our first steps into a much larger universe," McCarthy said.
Capturing the striking new photo was "much more difficult than I imagined," McCarthy said; to capture the best view of an ISS solar transit, you need to take the photo around midday, when the sun is directly overhead. And when you are taking the photo in the middle of a desert, as McCarthy did, this becomes very challenging, he added.
"Large telescopes, like the kind I need to use for these [photos], do NOT handle heat very well," McCarthy said. "Components flex and swell in the heat and currents of air of different temperatures swirl in the tube, making it nigh impossible to focus." Electrical components also start to overheat and shut down, he added.
RELATED STORIES
—Powerful solar telescope unveils ultra-fine magnetic 'curtains' on the sun's surface
—Behold! 1st images of artificial solar eclipse captured by ESA's Proba-3 mission
—Bottom of the sun becomes visible to humans for the first time in history (photos)
To beat the heat, McCarthy strapped ice packs to the critical components of the camera to stop them from overheating and covered as much of the equipment in reflective foil as possible. "This kept the equipment barely working," he said.
Luckily, all the hard work paid off.
"This was the type of shot I've been chasing for so long, and I'm thrilled to add it to my portfolio," McCarthy said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
Beyond the Light Show:The Effects of Fireworks on Animals and People
The rockets, explosions and cascading colors of fireworks are a staple of celebrations throughout the world, whether at the Fourth of July, Diwali or New Year's Eve. But while the clamor of light and sound brings out cheers from revelers, fireworks can cause panic in animals. They also leave behind trails of pollution that take a lingering toll on the environment and people. Here is what to know about the harm fireworks cause and recommendations from experts on how people can celebrate while reducing the impact. A Stress for Animals The intense, erratic sounds and lights from fireworks frighten animals, both wild and domesticated. Fear and stress responses have been documented in pets, zoo animals and wildlife. Wild animals may flee when fireworks start: Weather radars have recorded masses of birds taking flight, and studies have shown fleeing by sea lions and seals. This rush to escape costs the animals energy and can lead to longer-term damage, said Bill Bateman, a professor of ecology at Curtin University in Australia and the author on a review of global research on the impact of fireworks on the environment. The animals may abandon habitats completely, or return with less energy for regular survival. These effects are worse when fireworks occur during migration and breeding seasons. Independence Day in the United States, for example, falls in the breeding season for many coastal birds. Shorebirds are particularly at risk because of their proximity to fireworks and beach crowds, said Nicole Michel, director of quantitative science at the National Audubon Society. Birds frightened by fireworks may abandon their nests, leaving chicks or eggs behind and exposed to threats like predators. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
MIT engineers thrilled after developing game-changing 3D printing technique: 'This is an exciting path'
MIT researchers have developed a clever 3D printing trick that could save materials and simplify cleanup. What sets it apart is the supports used during printing dissolve easily and can even be reused, meaning less work for you and less waste for the planet. Right now, resin 3D printing relies on scaffolding to hold detailed pieces in place. Not only is peeling off supports tedious, but they often go straight into the bin, to. The MIT method fixes that by using a special resin that reacts differently to two types of light. UV light hardens the printed part; visible light hardens the supports, which dissolve later in a safe solvent such as baby oil. Bonus: that solution can be filtered and turned into fresh resin again. Lead researcher Nicholas Diaco says the trick lies in juggling the chemistry: adding a third "bridge" molecule so UV curing gives strength where it matters while keeping the support layers weak enough to wash away. The special resin tackles two big headaches of resin printing, which are the hassle of support removal and the waste that those supports create. Industry studies estimate supports can make up 10-20% of a final print, and most go to waste. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology showed the material can be collected, reused, and repurposed, saving money and helping reduce plastic pollution. A broader concern is that traditional 3D printing creates specialty plastic scraps and emits tiny particles into the air. MIT's approach helps by cutting scrap at its source and reducing how much needs to be handled afterward. And since supports can be dissolved, the cleanup is safer for users and the planet. This isn't just a university toy. It could change how dentists, engineers, and makers build dental pieces, lifelike models, and tiny moving parts without so much filing, clipping, and resin waste. Researchers are also using 3D printing to improve wastewater treatment by designing custom microbial reactors that clean water and generate energy at the same time. Additive manufacturing is finding new roles in sustainability far beyond plastics. The MIT team says it's working on improving print detail and resin flexibility. "We'll continue studying the limits of this process, and we want to develop additional resins with this wavelength-selective behavior and mechanical properties necessary for durable products," professor of mechanical engineering John Hart said. "Along with automated part handling and closed-loop reuse of the dissolved resin, this is an exciting path to resource-efficient and cost-effective polymer 3D printing at scale." The scientists hope this could reach labs and light manufacturing in the next few years. That means fewer landfill-bound supports, quicker cleanup, and smoother designs to be used in real-world applications. Would you trust a home made of recycled plastic? Absolutely Depends on the cost Depends what it looks like No way Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Carbon capture and storage ‘becoming a practical solution' despite hurdles
Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is no longer just a future concept but is becoming a practical solution helping companies to plan cleaner energy projects and meet climate and sustainability goals, a new report outlines. According to GlobalData's newly published Carbon Capture and Storage report, over 54 commercial-scale carbon capture projects were active in the energy sector globally as of 2024, with that figure expected to rise to upwards of 350 by 2030. It adds that over 80% of carbon capture units around the world, both active and upcoming, are attached to energy assets as the industry seeks to address its emissions. 'Over the past few years, CCS has gained significant momentum across the oil, gas and power sectors, driven by a convergence of technological advancement, policy support and investor demand for decarbonisation,' the report says. 'Companies are increasingly retrofitting facilities with advanced CCS technologies to reduce emissions, while governments in regions such as the US, UK and Norway are backing these efforts through targeted incentives and funding programmes.' Despite this progress, GlobalData notes that the broader carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) industry still faces economic, regulatory and infrastructure barriers. Chief among these, it asserts, are the high capital and operational costs associated with the technology, relatively limited commercial use for carbon dioxide (CO₂) and a lack of strong market incentives. 'Infrastructure gaps, particularly in CO₂ transport networks and storage facilities, compound the issue, as does the complexity of retrofitting capture systems onto existing industrial emitters,' the report states. 'Regulatory uncertainty, particularly around cross-border CO₂ transport, permitting delays and undefined long-term liability for stored CO₂, further discourage investment, while the fragmented nature of the CCUS value chain makes end-to-end integration difficult.' Other hurdles for CCUS include social acceptance and the technical complexities of the technology. Not only can it be viewed as a tool to prolong fossil fuel use rather than a genuine climate solution, but there is also a lack of public understanding about CCUS. In addition, the report notes that 'challenges around capture efficiency, monitoring of CO₂ storage and also carbon pipelines and the lack of standardised approaches complicate deployment at scale.' "Carbon capture and storage 'becoming a practical solution' despite hurdles" was originally created and published by Energy Monitor, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
