Home
Weather Dublin
WeatherRadar
RainfallRadar
TemperatureRadar
WindRadar
LightningRadar
Weather News
Editor's Pick
Discover the app
Weather widget
Contact us
Apps
    Home / Editor's Pick /

    Astronomical Halloween: The Jack-o-lantern sun

10:00
31 October 2024

Astronomical Halloween
The Jack-o-lantern sun

Jack o lanterns
We all love carving a pumpkin at Halloween, even the sun is getting involved!

The sun looks to have pulled out its Halloween costume for the season, dressing as a classic jack-o'-lantern!

In actual fact, this picture was taken on October 8th 2014, but is perfect for today. The most active regions of the sun show up brighter and make the sun appear as our favourite carved pumpkin.

The shot was captured by NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory which launched on February 11th 2010, with the mission to study how the sun creates solar activity which drives space weather.

This is no easy task and the SDO is not just a camera looking at the sun. It takes measurements of our solar system’s biggest star from the interior to the atmosphere, the magnetic field, and energy output.

Solar activity such as solar flares can have a huge impact on Earth’s communications systems. Where there is a strong solar storm, it impacts GPS systems, radios, and other ways of communicating on our very own planet.

Make sure the sun, and clouds, are going to behave for Halloween tonight by keeping check on the WeatherRadar through the day.

Check back for our trick-or-treat forecast out later today!

Ryan Hathaway
More on the topic
Huge hailstones in Poland. Severe weather hits towns. . . Friday 7 August 2026
Friday 7 August 2026

Severe weather hits towns

Huge hailstones in Poland
Your moments from the solar eclipse. A unique sight. . . Wednesday 12 August 2026
Split image showing a total solar eclipse glowing through dramatic clouds on the left and a multi-exposure eclipse sequence tracing the Sun across a blue sky on the right.
Wednesday 12 August 2026

A unique sight

Your moments from the solar eclipse
The solar eclipse arrives tonight. Great visibility for most. . . Wednesday 12 August 2026
Split image showing an annular solar eclipse on the left and a UK and Ireland weather map on the right with mostly sunny skies, temperatures of 30–31°C in England and 27°C in Dublin.
Wednesday 12 August 2026

Great visibility for most

The solar eclipse arrives tonight
All weather news
This might also interest you
Turbulent weather in the Canary Islands. Storm and rain. . . Friday 12 December 2025
Weather graphic showing rain and wind fields over the Canary Islands and a central warning symbol.
Friday 12 December 2025

Storm and rain

Turbulent weather in the Canary Islands
Long-term trends need a pinch of salt. 40 °C in July?. . . Tuesday 30 June 2026
Temperature radar of 2022 heatwave where the all-time temperature record in the UK was set. Warning symbol overlain.
Tuesday 30 June 2026

40 °C in July?

Long-term trends need a pinch of salt
A frozen start to the weekend. Icy conditions. . . Friday 13 February 2026
UK temperature map dated 14.02 showing widespread subzero values in blue shading, with readings such as −4 in Glasgow, −3 in Dublin, and −2 in London, alongside a blue thermometer icon.
Friday 13 February 2026

Icy conditions

A frozen start to the weekend
All articles
Weather & Radar

Weather & Radar is also available on

Google Play StoreApp Store

Company

Contact us Privacy Policy Legal info Accessibility statement

Services

Uploader

Socials

facebooktwitteryouTubelinkList