Something funky just happened near the sun’s north pole — why it matters

Scientists also observed a filament form a polar whirlwind for the first time.

What it is: Recently, the sun puzzled many scientists with a large prominence near its north pole. A prominence is like a flare but remains rooted on the sun’s surface. A chunk of it broke off and circled the Sun’s north pole like a vortex, space-weather forecaster Tamitha Skov tweeted. She included a video recorded by NASA’s Solar Dynamic Observatory, adding that the event’s “Implications for understanding the sun’s atmospheric dynamics above 55° here cannot be overstated”.

Why it matters: According to a report by Space.com, this type of solar activity has been observed at the 55º latitude every 11 years — the duration of each solar cycle. The solar magnetic field reverses itself over this cycle. While scientists are familiar with the ebb and flow of solar activity, why such flares erupt near this particular latitude every cycle has remained unanswered. In this particular event, scientists also observed a filament form a polar whirlwind for the first time.