News Astronomy The sun is less magnetically active than similar stars, and we don’t know why Why our star seems so different from its stellar kin is a mystery The sun’s magnetic field drives loops of plasma to fly off its surface, as shown in this image from NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory. Changes in a star’s magnetism can show up as changes in its brightness. Solar Dynamics Observatory/GSFC/NASA Share this:EmailFacebookTwitterPinterestPocketRedditPrint By Lisa Grossman April 30, 2020 at 2:00 pm The sun might be a magnetic slacker.