Dark Storms

Dark magnetic storms speckle the surface of the Sun in this false-color image from SOHO, a Sun-watching spacecraft. The storms are known as sunspots. They appear dark because they are cooler than the surrounding gas. On their own, however, they would glow dull reddish orange. The image was taken in 2000, when the Sun was much more active than it has been in recent years. [NASA/ESA/SOHO]