These Images Are Commonly Seen Coronal Holes on the Sun’s Surface, NOT Black Holes!

The vast expanse of space holds great excitement for exploration, but unfortunately, there are instances where misleading information circulates on social media platforms. One such example involves unfounded claims suggesting the emergence of black holes from the sun. It is crucial to recognize that misinformation like this can lead to unwarranted fear and misunderstanding. In our investigation, we aim to debunk such inaccurate assertions, emphasising the importance of relying on credible sources and scientific expertise when seeking information about the wonders of the universe.

Social Media Posts

Social media posts are spreading about a photo of the sun with large black dots, claiming they were nothing but massive black holes which have recently emerged in the sun.

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As this is a very dangerous statement about the survival of the sun and the Earth, we decided to do a fact check on this.

Fact Check

Sun's End-of-Life Process: According to NASA, the Sun is not at the end of its life and will not become a black hole. For a star to end its life as a black hole, it needs to be about 20 times more massive than the Sun. The Sun's fate, in about 6 billion years, is expected to become a white dwarf, not a black hole. The process of becoming a white dwarf is expected to start about 5 billion years from now when the Sun begins to run out of fuel. More Details about it can be read here.

Black Hole: Stars that are born 20 times larger than our sun's size or larger can explode into a supernova at the end of their lifetimes before collapsing back into a black hole, an object with a gravitational pull so strong that nothing, not even light, can escape.

Coronal Holes: The images being circulated do not depict black holes but are coronal holes. Coronal holes are cooler, less dense areas in the solar corona, appearing as dark spots in extreme ultraviolet and soft X-ray solar images. These are caused by open, unipolar magnetic fields, allowing solar wind to escape more readily into space. Coronal holes are a common and natural phenomenon in the Sun. More details about this and similar images can be found here and here.

Coronal Hole Impact: While coronal holes are a normal part of the solar cycle, they can influence space weather. High-speed solar wind streams associated with coronal holes can impact Earth's magnetic field, potentially causing geomagnetic storms. This can affect communication systems, GPS, and satellites, but it does not pose a threat to the Earth itself. More details about it can be found here.

A video about the impact of coronal holes on Earth's magnetic field and GPS systems can be watched below.

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Conclusion:

The social media posts claiming the Sun has developed massive black holes are false. The images depict coronal holes, a natural and common occurrence in the Sun. While coronal holes can influence space weather and impact technology, they are not a sign of the Sun turning into a black hole.