The August solar eruption, in HD video!

Bad Astronomy
By Phil Plait
Sep 28, 2012 3:56 PMNov 20, 2019 12:34 AM

Newsletter

Sign up for our email newsletter for the latest science news
 

In August, the Sun erupted in an epic explosion: a towering arc of material blasted off the surface and into space. The images of it were incredible enough, but the folks at NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center put together an astonishing high-def video of the eruption as seen by the Solar Dynamics Observatory, the Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory (or STEREO), and the Solar Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO):

[embed width="610"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrnGi-q6iWc[/embed]

Yowza. Set it to hi-res and make it full screen. Try not to drool. They have more images, videos, and higher-resolution stuff on the GSFC Multimedia site

. You really want to go there and take a look. Our Sun is gorgeous, and dangerous, and amazing. These pictures and videos are more than just beautiful; they are telling us about the mechanisms and processes occurring both on the surface and inside our nearest star. Given the impact this can have on Earth

, the more we know, the better.


Related Posts: - A HUGE solar filament erupts into space - Talk Nerdy To Me: Solar Storms - The Sun blasts out a flare and a huge filament - GORGEOUS solar eruption!

1 free article left
Want More? Get unlimited access for as low as $1.99/month

Already a subscriber?

Register or Log In

1 free articleSubscribe
Discover Magazine Logo
Want more?

Keep reading for as low as $1.99!

Subscribe

Already a subscriber?

Register or Log In

More From Discover
Stay Curious
Join
Our List

Sign up for our weekly science updates.

 
Subscribe
To The Magazine

Save up to 40% off the cover price when you subscribe to Discover magazine.

Copyright © 2025 LabX Media Group