SDO: Pick of the Week 2011

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SDO: Pick of the Week (2011 Jan 07)

An elongated, dark solar filament (appearing as reddish-purple) is the featured element when we combine three different wavelengths of extreme ultraviolet light (Jan. 1 - 5, 2011). Filaments are cooler clouds of gases suspended above the Sun's surface by magnetic forces. This filament stretches about 1/3 of the way around the Sun. This same area, which has made one full rotation since, featured a long filament that erupted on Dec. 6, 2010 and apparently reformed itself (see Filament Eruption).

Each wavelength is shown in a different color. The wavelengths are at 211 (red - 2 million degrees), 193 (green - 1.3 million degrees), and 171 Angstroms (blue - 600,000 degrees). The cadence of images changed from about 1 per hour to two per hour about halfway through the movie. The brightest areas are active regions, which have stronger magnetic field than the surrounding area.

Credit: NASA/GSFC/SDO

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Developing Coronal Holes (2011 Jan 14)

Two coronal holes that develop over several days stand out in this image and video clips of the Sun from SDO's AIA instrument (Jan. 9-12, 2010). In the movie one dark coronal hole intensifies just above the Sun's equator and a second one appears lower down and to the left near the end of the clip. Coronal holes are magnetically open areas from which high-speed solar wind streams out into space. They appear darker in this wavelength (the extreme UV wavelength of 193 Angstroms) because there is just less of the material that is being imaged, in this case ionized iron. When rotation carries a coronal holes past the Sun center, the solar wind stream begins to be aimed towards Earth where it can begin to generate aurorae on Earth, especially in the higher latitudes.

Credit: NASA/GSFC/SDO

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Profile of an Active Region (2011 Jan 24)

As an active region rotated into view, SDO had a fine profile view of its magnetic loops above it breaking apart and reconnecting (Jan. 15-18, 2011). The images were taken in extreme ultraviolet light. This same region was quite active several days prior to this period when viewed from the STEREO (Behind) spacecraft, but it seems to have quieted down some. Active regions are areas of intense magnetic activity that often appear as sunspots when viewed in filtered light.

Credit: NASA/GSFC/SDO

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Double Play (2011 Jan 28)

This still from SDO caught the action in freeze-frame splendor when the Sun popped off two events at once (Jan. 28, 2011). A filament on the left side became unstable and erupted, while an M-1 flare (mid-sized) and a coronal mass ejection on the right blasted into space. The movie (Jan. 26-28, 2011) shows several other flashes and bursting from the active region on the right as well. Neither event was headed towards Earth.

Credit: NASA/GSFC/SDO

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Massive Coronal Hole (2011 Feb 07)

A coronal hole, stretching across the top half of the Sun, rotated into a position where it was facing Earth (Feb. 1 -3, 2011). Coronal holes are magnetically open regions on the Sun that stream high-speed solar wind into space. In these images taken by SDO in extreme ultraviolet light, the unevenly shaped hole appears quite dark. As the coronal hole passed the meridian line, the path of its streaming particles began to be aimed at Earth. There should be a good chance for aurora sightings beginning Feb. 4.

Credit: NASA/GSFC/SDO

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FB: SDO Hotshots and Picks of the Week

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Dazzling Duo (2011 Feb 10)

As SDO observed in extreme ultraviolet light, a pair of active regions put on quite a show over a three-day period (Feb. 7-10, 2011). The magnetic field lines above the regions produced fluttering arcs waving above them as well as a couple of flares. Another pair of smaller active regions emerges and trails behind the larger ones.

Credit: NASA/GSFC/SDO

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I didn't know if i wanted to hang around long enough to go through all the sun belching and burping videos, but i have to ask owlice: Did you singe your fingers wilst praticing to be a 'graffitist'

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beyond, I have bandages on every finger except my left pinkie!

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X2 C2 Combo (2011 Feb 17)

The X2 flare of Feb. 15, 2011 seen by SDO (in extreme ultraviolet light) enlarged and superimposed on SOHO's coronagraph that shows the faint edge of a "halo" coronal mass ejection as it races away from the Sun. The video covers about 11 hours.

Credit: NASA/GSFC/SDO/SOHO

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Monster Prominence (2011 Feb 25)

When a rather large-sized (M 3.6 class) flare occurred near the edge of the Sun, it blew out a gorgeous, waving mass of erupting plasma that swirled and twisted over a 90-minute period (Feb. 24, 2011). This event was captured in extreme ultraviolet light by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory spacecraft . Some of the material blew out into space and other portions fell back to the surface. Because SDO images are super-HD, we can zoom in on the action and still see exquisite details. And using a cadence of a frame taken every 24 seconds, the sense of motion is, by all appearances, seamless. Sit back and enjoy the jaw-dropping solar show.

Credit: NASA/GSFC/SDO

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Lotsa Loops (2011 Mar 02)

As an active region rotated into view, SDO got a good profile look at the constantly changing magnetic field lines arcing high above it (Feb. 23-27, 2011). In extreme ultraviolet light the multitude of lines are revealed because charged particles are spinning along them. The interactions seen here are within an extensive and busy action region. If you watch the clip closely, you can see an eruptive blast (along with a strong flare) from the leading region near the beginning of the clip. These regions will be facing Earth beginning March 3, so for about the following week they could generate “space weather” effects.

Credit: NASA/GSFC/SDO/AIA

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Popping All Over (2011 Mar 10)

With numerous active regions populating the Sun's surface, it is no surprise that over about two days (Mar. 6-8, 2011) SDO saw flares and coronal mass ejections popping off in many directions. The movie was taken in extreme ultraviolet light. Besides the many storms, the Sun was alive with arcing loops revealing magnetic field lines interacting above the active regions. It was quite a dynamic display and further evidence that the Sun is really coming out of its long solar minimum period of reduced activity.

Credit: NASA/GSFC/SDO/AIA

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Intricate Coiling (2011 Mar 22)

An active region rotated into a clear profile view from the SDO spacecraft, giving us an excellent perspective of material spiraling along its numerous magnetic field lines above it. As seen in a wavelength of extreme ultraviolet light, the active region is generating frenetic activity in the form of loops and coils. About half way though the video clip, an eruption occurs, followed by a rising up of tightly coiled, bright loops. The clip covers about 36-hours of activity (Mar. 16-17, 2011).

Credit: NASA/GSFC/SDO/AIA

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Prominence Eruption Up-Close (2011 Mar 22)

SDO captured this nicely rounded prominence eruption from March 19, 2011 as a prominence became unstable and erupted into space with a distinct twisting motion. The movie shows a tight close-up of the action in extreme ultraviolet light over about a five-hour period. Prominences are elongated clouds of plasma that hover above the Sun's surface, tethered by magnetic forces.

Credit: NASA/GSFC/SDO/AIA

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Crackling Action (2011 Mar 28)

When a substantial active region rotated into view, it was a hot-bed of dynamic motion and loops (2011 Mar 21-22). As observed by Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) in extreme ultraviolet light, the region's powerful magnetic forces tangled, broke apart and reconnected with a vengeance, even popping off a few flares. Very tight close-ups such as this one had not been possible until the SDO began operations just a year ago.

Credit: NASA/GSFC/SDO/AIA

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One Solar Week (2011 Mar 04-11)

The Sun was sporting several sunspot groups over an eight-day period (2011 Mar 4-11) as seen in visible light by our HMI instrument. Watch how the sunspot groups are not entirely stationary: they do shift and change somewhat over time. The Sun is gradually starting to emerge from an over two-year period of being relatively quiet with few sunspots and little solar activity. Note that the Moon briefly eclipses an edge of the Sun early in the clip due to the position of the SDO spacecraft.

Credit: NASA/GSFC/SDO/HMI

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Then and Now (2011 Apr 01)

A side-by-side comparison of the Sun from precisely two years ago (left, from Solar and Heliospheric Observatory, SOHO, 2009 Mar 28-29) to the present (right, from Solar Dynamics Observatory, SDO, 2011 Mar 28-29) dramatically illustrates just how active the Sun has become. Viewed in two similar wavelengths of extreme ultraviolet light, the Sun now sports numerous active regions that appear as lighter areas that are capable of producing solar storms. Two years ago the Sun was in a very quiet period (solar minimum). The Sun's maximum period of activity is predicted to be around 2013, so we still have quite a ways to go.

Credits: NASA/ESA/SOHO/EIT (left), NASA/GFSC/SDO/AIA (right)

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SDO Orbit Simulations (2011 Apr 07)

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Spiraling Active Region in Profile (2011 Apr 08)

Cascades of spiraling magnetic loops observed in extreme ultraviolet light by SDO danced and twisted above an active region on the Sun (2011 Apr 3-5). These loops are charged particles spinning along the magnetic field lines, and thus visually revealing them. The bright active region was fairly strong and the activity persistent, though not explosive. At one point darker plasma can be seen being pulled back and forth across the region's center.

Credit: NASA/GSFC/SDO/AIA

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Rapid Fire Flares

Over 20 flares blasted off in less than one day from a single, large active region just rotating into view of the SDO spacecraft (2011 Apr 11-12). That is a very active region. Because flares are too bright for SDO's imager, they produce staggered diffractions of light as artifacts, a telltale sign of flaring. We'll be sure to keep a sharp eye on this region as it rotates more towards facing Earth by about April 17th.

Credit: NASA/GSFC/SDO/AIA

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Swirling, Curling Plasma

This close-up view of a prominence high above the Sun_s surface shows the twisting and swirling motions caused by magnetic forces over about 10 hours on April 17, 2011. While some of the material seems to break away from the Sun, much of it appears to return to the surface by the end of the clip. This event was observed in the extreme ultraviolet light of ionized Helium and is being shown with time-lapse images every three minutes.

Credit: NASA/GSFC/SDO/AIA

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[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JaWrmnQEzY&NR=1[/youtube]

SDO: Year One

2011 April 21 marked the one-year anniversary of the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) First Light press conference, where NASA revealed the first images taken by the spacecraft.

In the last year, the Sun has gone from its quietest period in years to the activity marking the beginning of solar cycle 24. SDO has captured every moment with a level of detail never-before possible. The mission has returned unprecedented images of solar flares, eruptions of prominences, and the early stages of coronal mass ejections (CMEs). In this video are some of the most beautiful, interesting, and mesmerizing events seen by SDO during its first year.

In the order they appear in the video the events are:

* Prominence Eruption - AIA 304 Å (2010 Mar 30)
* Cusp Flow - AIA 171 Å (2011 Feb 14)
* Prominence Eruption - AIA 304 Å (2011 Feb 25)
* Cusp Flow - AIA 304 Å (2011 Feb 14)
* Merging Sunspots - HMI Continuum (2010 Oct 24-28)
* Prominence Eruption and Active Region - AIA 304 Å (2010 Apr 30)
* Solar Activity and Plasma Loops - AIA 171 Å (2011 Mar 4-8)
* Flowing Plasma - AIA 304 Å (2010 Apr 19)
* Active Regions - HMI Magnetogram (2011 Mar 10)
* Filament Eruption - AIA 304 Å (2010 Dec 6)
* CME Start - AIA 211 Å (2011 Mar 8)
* X2 Flare - AIA 304 Å (2011 Feb 15)

Credit: NASA/GFSC/SDO/AIA/HMI

SDO First Light Anniversary Video Contest
http://asterisk.apod.com/viewtopic.php?f=29&t=23466

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Hot Flares in a Hot Wavelength

Almost 2 dozen flares were unleashed in just over two days (Apr. 21-23, 2011) from the tangled magnetic fields of active region 11195. In this wavelength of extreme ultraviolet light (94 Angstroms), the flares appear as rapid brightenings of the strong active region that moves from the left towards the center in the movie. The vertical lines are a reaction of the CCD in the telescope to the overwhelmingly bright light. What we are actually looking at is ionized iron heated to over 6 million degrees. Now that is HOT!

Credit: NASA/GFSC/SDO/AIA