The solar flares that could be spotted on the surface of the Sun sometimes prove to be an interesting sight. But the recent image released by NASA is better than the rest since there appears to be a smiling face on the image captured by the Solar Dynamic Observatory (SDO).
The Solar Dynamic Observatory took the image of the smiling Sun last Friday, Dec. 2. This is one of the least frightening images taken of the Sun that usually boasts of its solar flares that are tantamount to extreme heat and solar energy.
Scientist Karl Battams shared the images of the smiling Sun on his Twitter page. The image is also available for viewing on the SDO website. The scientists even generously gave a tip on how to easily spot the smiling face of the Sun.
"Tilt your head to the left and smile back at the Sun," scientists Karl Battams said in a Tweet where the image of the smiling sun is also attached. By following Battams' instructions, anyone looking at the photograph will be able to see a mouth, eyes and some facial bone on the surface of the Sun.
Reports say the smiling Sun looks like a crooked smile of a proud guy. Solar flares are the usual occurrence shown as the bright yellow-orange flame-like structure. While the dark areas that helped form the shape of a face are called solar filaments that are known to be strings of plasma found in the Sun's atmosphere, according to Mashable. Coronal holes or regions where there are dark spots on the surface of the Sun also helped defined the face. And finally, the solar winds affect the movement of the flares that also helped shape the face of the smiling Sun.
In 2014, NASA SDO also captured a face on the surface of the Sun, but it wasn't smiling at that time as it took an image of a Jack-o-lantern with a strangely creepy look on it.
SDO has been looking into the Sun since 2010 and is expected to capture more amazing faces of the star in the next years to come.