Material shattered from the sun’s surface, creating a tornado-like whirl around its northern pole, and scientists have no idea what caused it.

Dr. Tamitha Skov, a space weather forecaster, tweeted images of the phenomena captured by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope.

Just last week, she exclaimed, “Talk about Polar Vortex!” in an email. We have just witnessed the disconnection of a northern prominence from the main filament, and the resulting huge polar vortex can be seen circling the north pole of our Star. The significance of this finding for our knowledge of the mechanics of the solar atmosphere above 55 degrees cannot be emphasized!”

According to specialists, unusual activity in the sun’s 55-degree latitudes only occurs once per 11-year solar cycle, but this event has scientists baffled.

An enormous, luminous structure that projects outward from the solar surface is called a prominence. Though other instances of filament tearing have been witnessed, none have been quite like this one.

Space.com spoke with solar physicist and deputy director at Colorado’s National Center for Atmospheric Research Scott McIntosh, who said that scientists aren’t sure what triggers such an unusual event.

McIntosh explained that this phenomenon occurs once per solar cycle and begins at a latitude of 55 degrees before making its way to the sun’s poles. Very interesting. This raises a lot of “why” questions. Why does it go toward the pole only once, disappear for a few years, and then miraculously reappear three or four years later in the same region?

Experts agree that it likely involves the sun’s magnetic field, but beyond that, the rest of the explanation is a mystery due to our poor understanding of the star. The ecliptic plane is the geometric plane that contains Earth’s orbit, and it is the only possible vantage point from which solar observations may be made.

Researchers are left in the dark until the European Space Agency’s Solar Orbiter mission, which is photographing the sun as it increases its orbit beyond the ecliptic plane, returns with its findings.

Numerous solar forecasts, such as the solar flares that endangered Earth last year, have been detected by experts. Researchers warned that such predictions might impair GPS systems, electricity grids, and even radio broadcasts, while it is impossible to know with certainty how this solar vortex will effect Earth.

The sun has emitted multiple “strong” flares this month, interfering with Earth’s communications, but otherwise appearing to be harmless, according to Space.com. There will be a solar maximum in 2025, when the present 11-year cycle nears its climax.