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
Violent thunderstorms mark summer's end. Hail and gusts of wind. . Weather Videos. Thursday 27 August 2026
Severe thunderstorm warning map showing a level 3 red zone from eastern France toward Belgium, surrounded by orange and yellow alerts extending into western Germany.
Weather VideosThursday 27 August 2026

Hail and gusts of wind

Violent thunderstorms mark summer's end
Slow moving rain brings flooding. More alerts live. . . Thursday 27 August 2026
Weather radar at 11:00 on 27.08 showing widespread heavy rain from Liverpool through the Midlands to eastern England, with an arrow indicating rain moving north.
Thursday 27 August 2026

More alerts live

Slow moving rain brings flooding
Extreme heat in Italy. Up to 45 degrees. . . Wednesday 26 August 2026
Split screen. On the left, a temperature map of Italy. On the right, a view of Taormina and Mount Etna
Wednesday 26 August 2026

Up to 45 degrees

Extreme heat in Italy
All weather news
This might also interest you
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
Bright and warm conditions take hold. Spring-like outlook. . . Thursday 23 April 2026
Split UK map showing warm temperatures up to 21 degrees in orange on the left and clear sunny conditions with temperatures from 12 to 18 degrees on the right, with sun icons across the country.
Thursday 23 April 2026

Spring-like outlook

Bright and warm conditions take hold
A stormy week in the skies above. Your weather - Your shots. . . Sunday 30 August 2026
Split image showing lightning branching beneath dark storm clouds above rooftops on the left and an orange-pink sunset over a calm sea on the right.
Sunday 30 August 2026

Your weather - Your shots

A stormy week in the skies above
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