Dynamic Solar Events

Captivating images of the sun showcasing solar flares, coronal mass ejections, and transits of Venus, highlighting vibrant colors and intense solar activity.

A close up view of the top of the Sun as seen in profile shows thousands of little spurts, like small blow torches, shooting out all over the Sun. This was the view of the Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO)'s Ahead spacecraft, seen in extreme ultraviolet at 304 Angstroms. These spurts are called spicules; they are plasma jets caused by shock waves formed when sound waves at the solar surface leak into the solar atmosphere. Little is known about them because of their relatively smal
A close up view of the top of the Sun as seen in profile shows thousands of little spurts, like small blow torches, shooting out all over the Sun. This was the view of the Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO)'s Ahead spacecraft, seen in extreme ultraviolet at 304 Angstroms. These spurts are called spicules; they are plasma jets caused by shock waves formed when sound waves at the solar surface leak into the solar atmosphere. Little is known about them because of their relatively smal
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On August 31, 2012 a long filament of solar material that had been hovering in the sun's atmosphere, the corona, erupted out into space at 4:36 p.m. EDT. The coronal mass ejection, or CME, traveled at over 900 miles per second. The CME did not travel directly toward Earth, but did connect with Earth's magnetic environment, or magnetosphere, causing aurora to appear on the night of Monday, September 3. This is a a lighten blended version of the 304 and 171 angstrom wavelengths.
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NASA image captured June 6, 2012. On June 5-6 2012, SDO is collecting images of one of the rarest predictable solar events the transit of Venus across the face of the sun. This event happens in pairs eight years apart that are separated from each other by 105 or 121 years. The last transit was in 2004 and the next will not happen until 2117. i
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This close-up image of the sun presents an active region in profile as it rotated out of view. We can observe both the bright arching field lines and smaller pieces of darker matter in their midst being pulled back and forth just above the Sun's surface over about 36 hours (July 20-22, 2011). Both of these physical responses were caused by strong, tangled magnetic forces that are constantly evolving and reorganizing within the active region. Other active regions can be seen in the foreground as well. The image and movie were taken in extreme ultraviolet light of ionized iron heated to one million degrees. To view a hd video of this event go here a href= http //www.flickr.com/photos/gsfc/6006013038 www.flickr.com/photos/gsfc/6006013038 /a
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The March 29, 2014, X-class flare appears as a bright light on the upper right in this image from SDO, showing light in the 304 Angstrom wavelength. This wavelength shows material on the sun in what's called the transition region, where the chromosphere transitions into the upper solar atmosphere, the corona. Some light of the flare is clearly visible, but the flare appears brighter in other images that show hotter temperature material.
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. SDO Sees Trio of Mid-Level Flares
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NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) zoomed in almost to its maximum level to watch tight, bright loops and much longer, softer loops shift and sway above an active region on the sun, while a darker blob of plasma in their midst was pulled about every which way (May 13-14, 2014). The video clip covers just over a day beginning at 14 19 UT on May 13. The frames were taken in the 171-angstroms wavelength of extreme ultraviolet light, but colorized red, instead of its usual bronze tone. This type of dynamic activity continues almost non-stop on the sun as opposing magnetic forces tangle with each other.
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March 30, 2010 - Close-up of a solar eruptive prominence as seen in extreme UV light.
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A close up view of the top of the Sun as seen in profile shows thousands of little spurts, like small blow torches, shooting out all over the Sun. This was the view of the Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO)'s Ahead spacecraft, seen in extreme ultraviolet at 304 Angstroms. These spurts are called spicules; they are plasma jets caused by shock waves formed when sound waves at the solar surface leak into the solar atmosphere. Little is known about them because of their relatively smal
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NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory observed the sun produced swirling prominence activity of both its side, one after the other, over two days (Dec. 7-8, 2016).
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A detail view of a filament launch in the SDO AIA 304 band.
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An eruption of solar material exploding up off the surface of the right side of the sun, 2012
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A bright solar flare is captured by the EIT 195Å instrument on 1998 May 2. A solar flare (a sudden, rapid, and intense variation in brightness) occurs when magnetic energy that has built up in the solar atmosphere is suddenly released, launching material outward at millions of km per hour. The Suns magnetic fields tend to restrain each other and force the buildup of tremendous energy, like twisting rubber bands, so much that they eventually break. At some point, the magnetic lines of force merge and cancel in a process known as magnetic reconnection, causing plasma to forcefully escape from the Sun.
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A series of linked loops across the face of the Sun highlighted the dynamic magnetic connections generated by several active regions (Jan. 3-6, 2015). Active regions have magnetic north and south polarity and the arcing loops find the opposite pole to make the connection. What is unusual here is that they all kind of line up and link nicely together. These movies are made in a wavelength of extreme ultraviolet light.
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A three-dimensional image of the Sun. STEREO. This image is a composite of left and right eye color image pairs taken by the SECCHI Extreme UltraViolet Imager.
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Over a 30-hour period the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) observed a huge filament (a prominence seen against the surface of the Sun) that had been hovering for over a week above the Sun's surface finally burst away in an arching cloud. The image is in extreme ultraviolet at 304 angstroms.
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A twisted blob of solar material - a hot, charged gas called plasma - can be seen erupting off the side of the sun on Sept. 26, 2014. The image is from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory, focusing in on ionized Helium at 60,000 degrees C.
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The sun emitted a significant solar flare, peaking at 1 01 a.m. EDT on Oct. 19, 2014. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory, which is always observing the sun, captured an image of the event. Solar flares are powerful bursts of radiation. Harmful radiation from a flare cannot pass through Earth's atmosphere to physically affect humans on the ground, however -- when intense enough -- they can disturb the atmosphere in the layer where GPS and communications signals travel. To see how this event may affect Earth, please visit NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center at a href= http //spaceweather.gov rel= nofollow spaceweather.gov /a , the U.S. government's official source for space weather forecasts, alerts, watches and warnings. This flare is classified as an X1.1-class flare. X-class denotes the most intense flares, while the number provides more information about its strength. An X2 is twice as intense as an X1, an X3 is three times as intense, etc.
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Solar prominence. A prominence is a large, bright feature extending outward from the Suns surface, often in a loop shape. Prominences are anchored to the Suns surface in the photosphere, and extend outwards into the Suns corona.
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This still image from an animation from NASA GSFC's Solar Dynamics Observatory shows a single plume of plasma, many times taller than the diameter of Earth, spewing streams of particles for over two days (Aug. 17-19, 2015) before breaking apart.
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One broad active region sported a wonderful example of coiled magnetic field lines over almost a four-day period observed by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory during July 15-18, 2016.
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A corona mass ejection (CME) erupted from just around the edge of the sun on May 1, 2013, in a gigantic rolling wave. CMEs can shoot over a billion tons of particles into space at over a million miles per hour. This CME occurred on the suns limb and is not headed toward Earth. The video, taken in extreme ultraviolet light by NASAs Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO), covers about two and a half hours.
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A single plume of plasma, many times taller than the diameter of Earth, rose up from the Sun, twisted and spun around, all the while spewing streams of particles for over two days (Aug. 17-19, 2015) before breaking apart. At times, its shape resembled the Eiffel Tower. Other lesser plumes and streams of particles can be seen dancing above the solar surface as well. The action was observed in a wavelength of extreme ultraviolet light.
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Two large solar prominences in extreme ultraviolet light (ionized helium at 304) roughly the same size but quite different in structure appeared on the Sun on 18 March 2003. The observation of two large prominences in one image makes this one of the most spectacular images that SOHO has captured. Prominences are large clouds of relatively cool, dense plasma suspended in the Suns hot, tenuous corona. Magnetic fields built up enormous forces that propelled particles out beyond the Suns surface. The one on the right and possibly both were associated with a flare and a coronal mass ejection that blasted away from the Sun at about the time of this image. The twisting nature of the one on the right is of particular interest to some solar physicists who believe that eruptive events like this are the Suns way of getting rid of magnetic fields that are twisted up too tightly, like the rubber bands that run model airplanes
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The Sun blew out a coronal mass ejection along with part of a solar filament over a three-hour period (Feb. 24, 2015). While some of the strands fell back into the Sun, a substantial part raced into space in a bright cloud of particles (as observed by the SOHO spacecraft). The activity was captured in a wavelength of extreme ultraviolet light. Because this occurred way over near the edge of the Sun, it was unlikely to have any effect on Earth. Download high res/video file a href= http //sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/potw/item/603 rel= nofollow sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/potw/item/603 /a
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NASA image captured January 2, 2012 To view a video of this event go here a href= http //www.flickr.com/photos/gsfc/6648724193 www.flickr.com/photos/gsfc/6648724193 /a The Sun erupted with a good-sized solar flare and a coronal mass ejection (CME) on its far-side beyond the view of SDO, but the resulting strands of particle clouds as seen in extreme ultraviolet light still made for quite a show that lasted about three hours (Jan. 2, 2011). Note how a portion of the strands fall back to the Sun. It appears the force of the blast was unable, for some portion of the material, to overcome the pull of the Sun's magnetic fields. This blast was not directed at Earth.
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detailed sun in space An image of a detailed sun in space Copyright: xZoonar.com/magannx 5636944
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On Aug. 31, 2012, a giant prominence on the sun erupted, sending out particles and a shock wave that traveled near Earth. This event may have been one of the causes of a third radiation belt that appeared around Earth a few days later, a phenomenon that was observed for the very first time by the newly-launched Van Allen Probes. This image of the prominence before it erupted was captured by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO).
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NASA image captured June 5, 2012. On June 5-6 2012, SDO is collecting images of one of the rarest predictable solar events the transit of Venus across the face of the sun. This event happens in pairs eight years apart that are separated from each other by 105 or 121 years. The last transit was in 2004 and the next will not happen until 2117. i
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A stream of plasma burst out from the sun, but since it lacked enough force to break away, most of it fell back into the sun (May 27, 2014). This eruption was minor and such events occur almost every day on the sun and suggest the kind of dynamic activity being driven by powerful magnetic forces near the sun's surface.
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The first lunar transit observed by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory. Dated 2010
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An image of the Sun taken by the Extreme ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (EIT) of the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) at 171 angstroms shows loops and other structures indicative of magnetic activity at Active Region 652 on the Sun.
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A substantial coronal mass ejection, or CME, blew out from side of the Sun, giving us a great view of the event in profile (June 17-18, 2015). NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory caught the action in the 304 Angstrom wavelength of extreme ultraviolet light. The video clip covers about four hours of the event. While some of the plasma falls back into the Sun, a look at the coronagraph on SOHO shows a large cloud of particles heading into space.
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At the edge of the sun, a large prominence and a small prominence began to shift, turn and fall apart in less than one day, observed by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory, May 8-9, 2017.
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b To read more about the 2012 Venus Transit go to a href= http //sunearthday.nasa.gov/transitofvenus rel= nofollow sunearthday.nasa.gov/transitofvenus /a /b b Add your photos of the Transit of Venus to our Flickr Group here a href= http //www.flickr.com/groups/venustransit/ www.flickr.com/groups/venustransit/ /a /b NASA FILE PHOTO Date 8 Jun 2004 NASA's TRACE satellite captured this image of Venus crossing the face of the Sun as seen from Earth orbit. The last event occurred in 1882. The next Venus transit will be visible in 2012. This image also is a good example of the scale of Earth to the Sun since Venus and Earth are similar in size.
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On Nov. 22, 2014 from 5 29 to 6 04 p.m. EST., the moon partially obscured the view of the sun from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory. This phenomenon, which is called a lunar transit, could only be seen from SDO's point of view. In 2014, SDO captured four such transits -- including its longest ever recorded, which occurred on Jan. 30, and lasted two and a half hours. SDO imagery during a lunar transit always shows a crisp horizon on the moon -- a reflection of the fact that the moon has no atmosphere around it to distort the light from the sun. The horizon is so clear in these images that mountains and valleys in the terrain can be seen.
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This Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) image of the Sun taken on January 20, 2012 in extreme ultraviolet light captures a heart-shaped dark coronal hole. Coronal holes are areas of the Sun's surface that are the source of open magnetic field lines that head way out into space. They are also the source regions of the fast solar wind, which is characterized by a relatively steady speed of approximately 800 km/s (about 1.8 million mph). b a href= http //www.nasa.gov/audience/formedia/features/MP_Photo_Guidelines.html rel= nofollow NASA image use policy. /a /b b a href= http //www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/home/index.html rel= nofollow NASA Goddard Space Flight Center /a /b enables NASAs mission through four scientific endeavors Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASAs accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agencys mission. b Follow us on a href= http //twitter.com/NASA_GoddardPix
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3d render of the sun
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Two active regions with their intense magnetic fields produced towering arches and spiraling coils of solar loops above them (June 29 - July 1, 2014) as they rotated into view. When viewed in extreme ultraviolet light, magnetic field lines are revealed by charged particles that travel along them. These active regions appear as dark sunspots when viewed in filtered light. This image was taken on June 30 at 10 33 UT.
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Two images taken exactly eleven years apart (November 29 - 1996 left, 2007 right), both taken by the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO)'s Extreme ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (EIT) 304 Angstrom instrument. At both times the Sun was near its minimum level of activity.
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Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO)'s Extreme ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (EIT) 304 Angstrom instrument has again captured an elongated eruptive prominence, shown here with a comparison to the size of Earth. The eruptive prominence here seems to extend about 20 times the diameter of Earth out from the Sun.
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Solar Prominence
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Sparked by a medium-sized (C-class) flare, a long, magnetic filament burst out from the Sun, producing one of the best shows that SDO has seen (Aug. 31, 2012).
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The life of a solar prominence in 30 minutes.
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3D illustration exploding fire planet
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Ultraviolet image showing bright, glowing arcs of gas flowing around the sunspots
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A solar prominence in extreme ultraviolet light (He II at 304 angstroms) breaks away from the Sun. Prominences are huge clouds of relatively cool, dense plasma suspended in the Sun's hot, thin corona. Magnetic fields built up enormous forces that propelled particles out beyond the Sun's surface. Emission in this spectral line shows the upper chromosphere at a temperature of about 60,000 degrees K. To give a sense of scale, the prominence extends about 30 Earths out from the Sun.
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NASA's Solar TErrestrial RElations Observatory satellites have provided the first 3-dimensional images of the Sun. This view will aid scientists' ability to understand solar physics to improve space weather forecasting. 3D glasses are necessary.
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Large solar prominence in extreme ultraviolet light, 1973. Artist: Unknown
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A bright area of activity rotates into view from the limb of the Sun, after a period of calm on the Sun. The image was created by the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO)'s Extreme ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (EIT) 171 Angstrom instrument.
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The sun sported four smallish prominences along its edge at about the same time (Dec. 12-14, 2018). They were at the positions of 2 o'clock, 5 o'clock, 7 o'clock, and 10 o'clock. The largest and most active of the prominences was at the 7 o'clock point. Prominences are clouds of charged particles suspended above the sun by magnetic forces. These were observed in a wavelength of extreme ultraviolet light. The video clip covers almost two days' of activity it consists of 335 frames being shown at 20 frames per second. Movies available at
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As Europe enjoyed a partial solar eclipse on the morning of Friday 20 March 2015, ESAs Sun-watching Proba-2 minisatellite had a ringside seat from orbit. Proba-2 used its SWAP imager to capture the Moon passing in front of the Sun in a near-totality. SWAP views the solar disc at extreme ultraviolet wavelengths to capture the turbulent surface of the Sun and its swirling corona.
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sun with International Space Station An illustration of our sun with International Space Station Copyright: xZoonar.com/magannx 15914736
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The Sun alone in space
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NASA's Solar TErrestrial RElations Observatory satellites have provided the first 3-dimensional images of the Sun. This view will aid scientists' ability to understand solar physics to improve space weather forecasting. 3D glasses are necessary.
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NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory took this close-up view of one day in the life of a rather small active region shows the agitation and dynamism of its magnetic field (Dec. 21, 2016).
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On August 1, 2010, almost the entire Earth-facing side of the sun erupted in a tumult of activity. This image from the Solar Dynamics Observatory of the news-making solar event on August 1 shows the C3-class solar flare (white area on upper left), a solar tsunami (wave-like structure, upper right), multiple filaments of magnetism lifting off the stellar surface, large-scale shaking of the solar corona, radio bursts, a coronal mass ejection and more.
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NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory shows a long coronal hole has rotated so that was temporarily facing right towards Earth (Mar. 23-25, 2016). Coronal holes appear dark when viewed in some wavelengths of extreme ultraviolet light.
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Digitally generated image of a space nebula
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Coronal holes appear as dark areas of the corona when viewed in ultraviolet light (at 284 angstroms). This extended hole has lasted through three solar rotations (almost 3 months- longer than most) and is one of the largest seen by the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO). Although they are usually located at the poles of the Sun, coronal holes can occur other places as well. The magnetic field lines in a coronal hole extend out into the solar wind rather than coming back down to the Sun's
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red dwarf star sun before eclipse rocky planet, 3d render
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Powerful burning Sun Solar System in space on back background 3D rendering. Powerful burning Sun Solar System in space on back background 3D rendering
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NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory compares very large coronal holes taken Oct. 27, 2016. Coronal holes are areas of open magnetic field that carry solar wind out into space, currently causing a lot of geomagnetic activity here on Earth.
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Activity in Solar Chromosphere
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The planet Mercury is seen in silhouette, low center, as it transits across the face of the Sun Monday, Nov. 11, 2019, from Washington. Mercurys last transit was in 2016. The next wont happen again until 2032.
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Several small sunspots appeared this week, giving NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory a chance to illustrate their sources (Mar. 2, 2017). Magnetic forces are the dynamic drivers here in these regions of the sun.
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On Sept. 18-21,2016 NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory spotted a dark coronal hole that was facing towards Earth for several days spewing streams of solar wind in our direction.
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The Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) observed a huge eruptive prominence arching out from the Sun. It was captured it in extreme ultraviolet light (EIT 304 angstroms) when part of it had already stretched beyond the instrument's field of view. It probably extends more than 50 times the size of Earth.
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An extensive equatorial coronal hole has rotated so that it is now facing Earth (May 2-4, 2018). The dark coronal hole extends about halfway across the solar disk. It was observed in a wavelength of extreme ultraviolet light. This magnetically open area is streaming solar wind (i.e., a stream of charged particles released from the sun) into space. When Earth enters a solar wind stream and the stream interacts with our magnetosphere, we often experience nice displays of aurora. Videos are available at
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On Nov. 7, 2018 for just under an hour, SDO viewed a lunar transit, when the Moon partially blocked SDO's view of the Sun. At its peak about 44% of the Sun was covered. In this view, the Sun was observed in extreme ultraviolet light and, as is customary, been given false color. SDO's orbit gives it two three-week periods per year when either the Earth or the Moon cross in front of the Sun. These transits provide scientific value as well The sharp edge of the lunar limb helps researchers measure how light diffracts around the telescope's optics and filter support grids, allowing scientists to better calibrate their instruments for even sharper images. Movies available at
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STEREO (Behind) captured this magnificent coronal mass ejection (associated with an M-class flare) that flung a long stream of plasma into space (Aug. 24, 2014). We have combined a view of the Sun in extreme UV light with a broader visible light view of the Sun's corona. It is interesting to note that a lot of the plasma, lacking sufficient kinetic energy to break free from the Sun's gravity, was pulled back into the Sun.
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. STEREO's View
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On December 26, 2001, a solar flare blasted from Active Region 9727. It was observed in extreme ultraviolet as an area of strong brightening of magnetic loops in the lower corona that lasted for several hours. This marked the beginning of a high-energy proton event that pelted the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) spacecraft for almost a day. The active region is easily identified in the first image. Then the protons become visible in the second image as white snowy particles that strike
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This still image from an animation from NASA GSFC's Solar Dynamics Observatory shows dark strands of plasma hovering above the Sun's surface beginning to interact with each other in a form of tug of war over two and a half days (June 28-30, 2015).
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Sunspots and prominences in 1973. Image from Skylab's solar telescope. NASA photograph.
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The Sun blows out a coronal mass ejection (CME) that resembles an almost perfectly shaped smoke ring. The image was made by the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO)'s C2 coronagraph instrument. The white circle represents the size of the Sun and some area around it being blocked by the red occulting disk to reveal the faint details of the Sun's corona.
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View from Uranus if our Sun were replaced by VY Canis Majoris.
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Beginning of Solar Eclipse
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This CME image from Oct. 7, 2012, captured by two instruments on STEREO, shows the eruption from its base out into space. The base of the CME near the sun is seen in extreme ultraviolet light emitted directly from the solar material; the growing loop is seen in visible light.
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Alien planet, illustration
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A large coronal hole has been spewing solar wind particles in the general direction of Earth over the past few days (Aug. 31- Sept. 1, 2017). It is the extensive dark area that stretches from the top of the sun and angles down to the right. Coronal holes are areas of open magnetic field, which allow charge particles to escape into space. They appear dark in certain wavelengths of extreme ultraviolet light such as shown here. These clouds of particles can cause aurora to appear, particularly in higher latitude regions. Movies are available at
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NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) zoomed in to watch close-up the dynamics of this single active region on the sun over a two-day period (July 14-16, 2018). The loops SDO observed in extreme ultraviolet light are illuminated by charged particles spinning along the magnetic field lines above an active region. Active regions are magnetically intense areas that are pushed up to the surface of the sun from below. These regions are often the sources of large eruptions that cause solar storms, though no large eruptions seem to have occurred during this period. To give a sense of scale, these loops are rising up many times the diameter of Earth. Movies are available at
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Illustration showing the various parts that make up the sun
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This illustration shows an extrasolar planet (exoplanet) eclipsing its star. A moon can be seen off the to left of the planet. Eclipses of the Sun ena...
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Solar activity, computer artwork.
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sun with International Space Station An illustration of our sun with International Space Station Copyright: xZoonar.com/magannx 15922395
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Earth revolving around the sun - 3D illustration
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The first of a series of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) over three days (Aug. 20-22), this bulbous CME certainly resembles a light bulb. It has the thin outer edge and a bright, glowing core at its center. CMEs are often bulbous, but it has been years since we have seen one with the elements (pun intended) of a light bulb. The frames were taken by SOHO's LASCO C3 instrument.
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The Sun already featured one good-sized coronal hole, when another larger coronal hole began to emerge and intensify (Sept. 4-6, 2018). Coronal holes appear dark in extreme ultraviolet light, as is shown here. They are magnetically open areas from which solar wind streams out into space, and can last from days to months. The brighter area between the two coronal holes is an active region where the level of magnetic activity is strong. Movies are available at
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Solar eclipse for a background 20.03.15. Saint Petersburg, Russia.

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Sun with sunspots seen with telescope The Sun seen with telescope from planet Earth, with sunspots visible as dark spots compared to surrounding regions - 4K format Copyright: xZoonar.com/adminx 11846307
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A dark, elongated filament rose up and broke to the lower left and out from the sun seen by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory, Apr.9-10, 2017. Filaments are cooler clouds of plasma tethered above the sun's surface by magnetic forces.
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Cross section of the sun showing the core, radiative zone and convective zone.
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Total Solar Eclipse
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This artist's conception shows the silhouette of a rocky planet, dubbed HD 219134b, as it passes in front of its star. At 21 light-years away, the planet is the closest outside of our solar system that can be seen crossing, or transiting, its star.
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The Sun as Seen by SOHO
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Sun in X-Rays
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NASA image captured June 5, 2012. On June 5-6 2012, SDO is collecting images of one of the rarest predictable solar events the transit of Venus across the face of the sun. This event happens in pairs eight years apart that are separated from each other by 105 or 121 years. The last transit was in 2004 and the next will not happen until 2117. i