Well-known astrophotographer Andrew McCarthy has once again delighted fans of his work with another spectacular photograph. This time, he captured the transit of the ISS against the background of a solar flare.
The photo was taken on June 15, 2025. McCarthy’s goal was to capture the ISS transiting the Sun. The astrophotographer was extremely lucky: at the moment the station flew by, our star produced a flare, which was also captured in the photo.
McCarthy called the result of the photoshoot a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. According to the astrophotographer, he had previously been unable to capture solar flares because they are fleeting and disappear very quickly.
Solar flares are the most visible manifestation of the Sun’s activity. The energy released by a powerful solar flare can be equivalent to 1/6 of the energy it releases per second, or 160 billion megatons in TNT equivalent. This is about how much electricity the world uses in a million years. Flares may also be accompanied by coronal mass ejections. When the latter reach Earth, they cause geomagnetic storms accompanied by auroras. Recently, the Sun passed the peak of its latest 11-year cycle. But although its activity is gradually declining, it still regularly produces powerful flares.
