From the April 2010 issue

The Sun’s biggest blasts

Although solar activity currently may be in the doldrums, a coronal mass ejection could erupt at any time.
By | Published: April 26, 2010 | Last updated on May 18, 2023

CME November 4, 2003
The Sun blasted a torrent of charged particles into space at about 1,425 miles (2,300 kilometers) per second.
SOHO/NASA/ESA

Bruce Dorminey explored the dynamics of the Sun and other stars in “Is the Sun an oddball star?” The conclusion: maybe. Although astronomers have long thought that the Sun is an ordinary star, they have had a hard time finding many stars similar to it.