Astronomy Picture of the Day

   [1]Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
      fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation
                    written by a professional astronomer.

                                 2023 May 17
     [2]Dark spots against a yellow background are shown. When viewed in
      detail, a light bridge crosses the largest spot, while the yellow
    background appears composed of small, irregularly shaped components.
          Please see the explanation for more detailed information.

                          Sunspot with Light Bridge
                 Image Credit & Copyright: [3]Mark Johnston

   Explanation: Why would a small part of the Sun appear slightly dark?
   Visible is a close-up picture of [4]sunspots, depressions on the Sun's
   surface that are [5]slightly cooler and less bright than the rest of
   the Sun. The Sun's complex [6]magnetic field creates these cool regions
   by inhibiting hot material from entering the spots. [7]Sunspots can be
   larger than the Earth and typically last for about a week. Part of
   active region AR [8]3297 crossing the [9]Sun in early May, the large
   lower sunspot is spanned by an impressive [10]light bridge of hot and
   suspended solar gas. This high-resolution picture also shows clearly
   that the [11]Sun's surface is a bubbling carpet of separate cells of
   hot gas. These cells are known as [12]granules. A [13]solar granule is
   about 1000 kilometers across and [14]lasts for only about 15 minutes.

   Your Sky Surprise: [15]What picture did APOD feature on your birthday?
                                 (post 1995)
                       Tomorrow's picture: star debris
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    Authors & editors: [27]Robert Nemiroff ([28]MTU) & [29]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([30]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Phillip Newman [31]Specific rights apply.
              [32]NASA Web Privacy Policy and Important Notices
                A service of: [33]ASD at [34]NASA / [35]GSFC,
                         [36]NASA Science Activation
                           & [37]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2305/SunSpotBridge_Johnston_960.jpg
   3. https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/ambassadors/1672/
   4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunspot
   5. https://i5.walmartimages.com/asr/c603f47c-58c5-486a-bf37-e2b49a90c683_1.6d76034b23dfb94fd850ac8bd4f51a62.jpeg
   6. https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2016/understanding-the-magnetic-sun
   7. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap150629.html
   8. https://spaceweather.com/images2023/07may23/hmi1898.gif
   9. https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/solar-system/sun/in-depth/
  10. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap000522.html
  11. https://scied.ucar.edu/learning-zone/sun-space-weather/surface-of-the-sun
  12. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap111106.html
  13. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_granule
  14. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap200203.html
  15. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  16. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap230516.html
  17. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  18. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  19. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  20. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  21. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  22. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod.rss
  23. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  24. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  25. https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=230517
  26. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap230518.html
  27. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  28. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  29. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
  30. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  31. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  32. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  33. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  34. https://www.nasa.gov/
  35. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  36. https://science.nasa.gov/learners
  37. http://www.mtu.edu/