Solar Dynamics Observatory First Light

STEREO isn’t the only spacecraft staring at the sun right now. Nasa’s new Solar Dynamics Observatory has successfully achieved first light and they’ve released some stunning videos of recent solar activity as a result. Including this one of an erupting solar prominence on March 30. BBC report here.

Also from the SDO YouTube Channel

This movie starts with a magnetogram from HMI (Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager) and moves on to 7 different wavebands observed by AIA’s (Atmospheric Imaging Assembly) telescopes.

This movie shows a flare and blast wave from an eruption. The dark region is where the erupting material has evacuated. The sequences are made from combinations of different AIA wavebands into a single image, with different colors representing different temperatures and layers of the atmosphere.

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