Is the sun pulsating abnormally?

About a month ago now I was driving home from work, it was sunset and there was a light fog on the horizon enveloping the sun. I had experienced this effect before, allowing a naked eye viewing of the star, without the usual blindness that follows. This time was different though; out of the corner of my eye it appeared as if the pale orb was shaking or pulsating. I had thought for a minute I had consumed a psychotropic substance, but pulled over and confirmed that I was fine and what I was seeing was in fact occurring. I spent a good 10 minutes in a parking lot watching this until the fog cleared and it was too bright to notice anymore.

I am posting this in the hopes that I was not alone in viewing this phenomenon. Maybe it was simply a strange atmospheric effect? Maybe something more...... I couldn't help but feel while watching this that it was out of place, out of the ordinary. It was hypnotic. Anyway, interested to hear any feedback or possible explanations (please forgive any typos, I wrote this on my phone).

a reply to: seanizle

You're not a lone! There are a few video's on Youtube. I searched pulsing sun and flickering sun
Here's a couple:

a reply to: seanizle

An article from NASA called the Inconstant Sun

a reply to: Staroth

This is a joke isn't it! An auto exposure camera pointed at the sun.

As in DUH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Interesting. I wonder if the videos are flickering due to camera SW doing auto white-balance/ISA/apertures/etc. But seeing it with your own eyes would be something. I live in a place that has great sunset views and I watch sunsets a lot, have never noticed any flickering though myself.

Would be cool if it's really happening though. Since the videos seem to show it brightening instead of dimming, maybe that's the global warming cause right there /sarc

Maybe you have a hippus.

Two things your momma never taught you, don't play in the rain and don't stare at the sun.

originally posted by: intrptr

...and don't stare at the sun.

But mama, that's where the fun is.

a reply to: seanizle

There is another means of this occurring and its within the eye. Blood pressure and heartbeat in the tiny vessels in the back of the eye and optic nerve. They can replicate the heartbeat in such a minute way one doesnt notice, but it does happen.

Of course, Im not claiming this is the case here...just that its a known possibility of vision being disturbed by heartbeat, rate and rhythm.

But that too...doesnt explain the youtube videos...just putting it out there.



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About the videos....Take an auto focusing camera and point it at a bright light. Any bright light will do. You'll get the same effect.

A couple of years back the sun had a meltdown and it was pulsing, I saw it and ten miles away my son in laws whole construction crew saw it. It then got a halo.

About three months later NASA came out and explained the issue, they took three months to figure it out. I suppose they had to analyze the best probable reason and talk it over with others. but come on, three months?

This may be out in less than a couple weeks, they already know what causes it. That is if it was picked up by their cameras

I don't think this was a camera thing, I have seen it happen and it looks almost identical. It is rare but it is not like the filament in the light bulb is going to break and the sun go dark. Ooooh, now I might get worried.
.

Perhaps it always pulsates and it can only be seen with our eyes during certain atmospheric conditions??

My thoughts:

If the mist or fog is thick enough to block off that much sunlight, then the flickering/brightening is just enough sunlight getting through when the mist gets thinner for even a split second.

a reply to: Bedlam

Blinded by the refrences, wrapped up in a beer at 3:30 in the night

originally posted by: yorkshirelad
a reply to: Staroth

This is a joke isn't it! An auto exposure camera pointed at the sun.

As in DUH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Not the camera you see the effect in the clouds. What causes thus is atmospheric disturbances. Ever notice at mid day it hurts your eyes to look at the sun?? But yet everyone has probably seen a sunset they remember. How come we can look at a setting sun but can't look directly into it overhead?? Simple answer the atmosphere works as a filter just like a pair of sun glasses. Only problem is our filter is constantly changing as light refracts. This is the pulsing you see usually when viewed through a storm front as light gets refracted in diffrent directions including the clouds in thr video.

As far as the camera thing auto focus is just going to set the camera to infinity at that point so it's not constantly readjusting like people imply. But digital cameras will dim the image to prevent damage to the camera but you would see this almost as a strobe. And it would be very regular.

originally posted by: 191stMIDET
a reply to: Bedlam

Blinded by the refrences, wrapped up in a beer at 3:30 in the night

Where is your Earth band Mr Man?

a reply to: seanizle

The Government / Scientist have been lying about the life span of the sun. The flickering is the early stage of dying, Soon it will cool to red and expand. Whether it will expand far enough to eliminate life on this planet is up in the air.

Everyone should party like there is no tomorrow.

a reply to: Kuroodo

I agree with you this seems to be the most logical obvious answer especially to the fact it is not noticed when there is no must/fog/cloud passing.

From personal experience it is very difficult to do stop motion with any sunlight as it will cause your final animation to flicker even on clear days.

I was just standing outside and the sky is overcast with a haze that allows you to look at the sun.

To my amazement I noticed the sphere of the sun is dancing around like it is made of jelly or something?

This really freaked me out at first. I thought it was my eyes but I kept watching and realized the sun really is wobbling around.

Maybe it does always do this?