Michael Weinhoffer ‘16, Staff Writer
On October 8, 2014, the United States government space agency, which is known as NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration), released an image appropriately named “Pumpkin Sun,” as it shows the Sun as having an appearance of a jack-o’-lantern. The image is actually a blend of two different wavelengths of extreme ultraviolet light that were both photographed by the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO), which was launched in 2010 with the explicit mission of researching the Sun. The Sun’s appearance as a jack-o’-lantern is caused by the emission of more light and energy in certain areas in the atmosphere of the Sun, which is called the corona. I believe that this is a Halloween reminder for everyone at Oratory, as celebrations of Halloween at Oratory are limited. Halloween is a holiday that can usually be celebrated on Halloween day itself, so it is important to embrace this opportunity and decorate Oratory in a Halloween theme. The pumpkin carving contest is a good start, but more decorations are needed to be displayed around the school and more attention needs to be brought by the students to the Student Council concerning this issue. Although a costume dress-down day is probably not appropriate, more festivities must be created in order to preserve the spirit of Halloween. Although I do not follow a common astrological belief that if the Sun is acting (or looking) abnormal the end of the universe is near, the image of the “Pumpkin Sun,” did remind me not only that Halloween is near, but that Halloween is the most under-celebrated major holiday at Oratory, and I believe that with the help of the Student Council and the support of all the students, we can celebrate Halloween like never before at Oratory.