The Sun and Patterns of Convection

Scientists are using helioseismology to study sound waves from the interior of the sun to help understand the activity that occurs at the center of the sun. See
http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.rss.html?pid=22802
for more information. And I was pleased to just have fun during the last (locally viewable) eclipse watching the shadow move across the face of the sun, by wearing welder's glasses. I'm not sure they were actually safe, but I felt no afteraffects. The best advice though, is to never look at the sun--the article above may prove that true with new meaning.

Inferometer Telescope and Pictures of Altair

This article from the National Science Foundation is a real winner. It shows the Inferometer Telescope at the University of Michigan, explains how the telescope works and explains how they captured images of Altair, a sun similar to our own that is nearly 15 light years away.

http://www.nsf.gov/news/news_images.jsp?cntn_id=109612&org=NSF