NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) has been diligently capturing the Sun's activity from Aug. 12 to Dec. 22, 2022, in stunning 4K x 4K resolution for nearly 13 years. This invaluable data has led to countless breakthroughs in our understanding of our closest star and its impact on the solar system. With a suite of advanced instruments, SDO records a snapshot of the Sun every 0.75 seconds, providing a detailed view of its dynamic behavior.

The Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) instrument alone captures images every 12 seconds, revealing the Sun in 10 different wavelengths of light. This mesmerizing 133-day time lapse focuses on imagery taken at a wavelength of 17.1 nanometers, showcasing the Sun's outermost atmospheric layer: the corona. Comprising images spaced just 108 seconds apart, this movie compresses four months of solar observations into a captivating 59-minute journey.

Witness bright active regions traverse the Sun's surface as it gracefully rotates, completing a full revolution approximately every 27 days. The striking loops extending above these bright areas signify magnetic fields containing searing, luminous plasma. These active regions are also the origin of solar flares, which manifest as brilliant flashes during a process known as magnetic reconnection.

While SDO vigilantly observes the Sun, there are moments it inadvertently misses. Some of the darker frames in the video occur when either Earth or the Moon temporarily eclipse SDO in their orbit around the Sun. Other brief blackouts are attributed to instrumentation downtime or minor data anomalies.

SDO transmits a staggering 1.4 terabytes of data to Earth daily, showcasing the magnitude of this mission's contribution to our understanding of the Sun. Instances where the Sun appears off-center are a result of SDO's instrumental calibration.

In the years ahead, SDO, alongside other NASA missions, will continue to provide crucial insights about our place in space, ensuring the safety of our astronauts and assets. The evocative soundtrack is a seamless blend from Lars Leonhard’s “Geometric Shapes” album, generously provided by the artist.

Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
Scott Wiessinger (PAO): Lead Producer
Tom Bridgman (SVS): Lead Visualizer
Scott Wiessinger (PAO)

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