Awesomeness of the Sun

The sun - do you take it for granted?  I do.  It's always there, in the sky, pouring light and heat down on us, though sometimes a blanket of clouds is laid over and blocks our view.  Even then, we know it's there by the gray light that distinguishes even the cloudiest of days from the night.

We're even complacent about it's overwhelming power.  We learn, as little kids, that even from 93 million miles away and through the protection of our atmosphere we can't look at the sun directly without causing severe harm to our sight.  But how often do we even think about that?  It is just one of our many habits.

Today I saw a news item about some recent solar flares, and the photos just overwhelmed me.  Here are a couple.

Link to the full size image

The beauty of this glowing ball hanging in black space is astonishing.  What really knocks me out is the quality of dynamism, the energy and motion, that are conveyed even in these "still" images. Unfathomable power leaps from the image.   We know that this star is essential to our life.  It is 4.57 billion years old, and has provided every bit of energy that has supported all life on earth, from the dawn.

Is it possible to not stand in awe and wonder?