A number of spacecraft are staring directly into the sun. And for good reason.
Space agencies, scientists, and nations want to better understand our stormy sun, a glowing sphere of gas that's capable of energetic explosions from its surface. A common such event is a solar flare, which is an explosion that emits light and energy into space, sometimes towards Earth. You might hear more about such solar events in the coming years as the sun's activity ramps up — but rest assured its normal, natural behavior from your local, medium-sized star. Fortunately, Earth shields us from potential harm, though our power grids and communications can be severely damaged.
