Red Sun through Wildfire Smoke

• An eerie image taken on July 22, 2026, in British Columbia, Canada, shows the Sun appearing red due to wildfire smoke from the Pacific Northwest acting as a natural solar filter.
• The smoke particles block and scatter blue light, causing the Sun to appear dimmer and redder than normal.
• The image captured a prominent sunspot group, AR 4493, situated just below and to the right of the Sun's center.

Atmospheric and Solar Context

• The wildfire smoke produces a similar effect to the red color naturally seen during sunsets and sunrises.
• Astronomers note that this visual serves as a terrestrial parallel to the appearance of an exoplanet orbiting a red dwarf star.
• While the Sun currently looks typical for its age, it is projected to enter a red giant phase in approximately 6 billion years, at which point it will naturally become redder.

Important Safety Note

• Although smoke may dim the Sun, astronomers warn that it is never safe to stare directly at the Sun.