(CNN) Astronomers spotted a magnetic explosion on the surface of the sun unlike anything they've ever seen before. Although it was initially theorized about 15 years ago, this was their first direct observation of it thanks to NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory.

Findings about the explosion published this week in the Astrophysical Journal

They witnessed the result of an eruption on the surface of the sun, flinging up a loop of material in the sun's corona, or upper atmosphere. This erupted material is known as a prominence. The prominence then fell back toward the sun, but collided with lines of magnetic field. This created the unprecedented magnetic explosion.

Lines of magnetic field snap and realign explosively, based on previous observations of behavior called magnetic reconnection. But this is the first time astronomers have seen this reconnection sparked by an eruption.

Understanding this phenomenon could help scientists understand more about the sun's atmosphere as well as predict space weather.

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