85 Days Of Solar Rotation

Solar images in three different wavelengths in extreme ultraviolet light are combined together to show solar activity over almost three months (June 2 – Aug. 26, 2010). 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 is basically a frame every 45 minutes. The brightest areas are active regions, which have stronger magnetic field than the surrounding area.

credit: NASA

source: http://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/potw.php?v=item&id=22

This story written by Paul Adams

Paul Adams leads an award-winning, diverse contractor team that runs a federal high performance computing facility where he has worked for 17 years. He loves getting his hands on the latest visualization and computer hardware, astronomy, aerospace engineering, working with the poor, and ringing cowbells.