1. the SUN The Sun is now in the quietest phase of its 11-year activity cycle, the solar minimum - in fact, it has been unusually quiet this year - with over 200 days so far with no observed sunspots. The solar wind has also dropped to its lowest levels in 50 years. Scientists are unsure of the significance of this unusual calm, but are continually monitoring our closest star with an array of telescopes and satellites.

2. corona for a moderately active

3. near to the solar limb

4. sizeable active region

5. active solar region

6. magnetic structures on the sun’s surface

7. close up of magnetic structures on the sun’s surface

8. sunspot and granules

9. irregular-shaped sunspot and granules

10. erupting solar filament

11. stunning prominence eruption

12. in the sun’s hot

13. solar-b

14. animation of the sun

15. the moon across the face of the sun

16. total solar eclipse

17. the sun

18. widely spreading coronal mass ejection (CME)