Need a break today? Here's a decade's worth of solar imagery squeezed into 61 mesmerizing minutes. The video is composed of observations collected by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) and stretches from June 2, 2010 to June 1, 2020.
The SDO spotted solar tornadoes - whorls of plasma kicked up by the sun's magnetic field that spin at velocities of 186,000 miles per hour. The spacecraft even spotted a comet whizzing by the sun. It's captured data about coronal mass ejections, which are space weather events that zap our planet's satellites and electrical grids and endanger astronauts. Thanks to all the data SDO collected, space weather experts are now using AI to help predict when these harmful bursts of solar wind will occur.
The video - taken at an ultraviolet wavelength of 17.1 nanometers - captures planets slinking past the sun, powerful solar flares bursting from its corona, and the ebb and flow of activity across the sun's 11-year solar cycle. At 12:24 (or June 5, 2012), you can spot Venus sliding across the screen. Venus' next solar transit will occur on 2117. Mercury transits the sun at 36:18 and 57:38.
Sit back, relax, and enjoy!
Why not share this incredible video with friends and family? It's very easy. Just click on your preferred icon below and it's done.