"Solar Eruption Creates Enormous 'Canyon of Fire' on Halloween Night"

A massive solar eruption on Halloween night created a "canyon of fire" on the sun's surface, twice as wide as the contiguous U.S. and more than seven times as long as Earth. This event is a reminder that the sun is approaching its explosive peak, known as the solar maximum. The eruption launched a loop of magnetized plasma into space, leaving behind the enormous canyon. Although scientists initially worried that the plasma could hit Earth, further observations revealed that it will miss our planet. This solar canyon is the latest sign that we are rapidly approaching the solar maximum, now expected to occur in 2024.