NASA | Massive Solar Flare gets HD Close Up

Take a closer look at the flare that erupted on March 6, 2012.

This movie of the March 6, 2012 X5.4 flare was captured by the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) in the 171 and 131 Angstrom wavelength. One of the most dramatic features is the way the entire surface of the sun seems to ripple with the force of the eruption. This movement comes from something called EIT waves -- because they were first discovered with the Extreme ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (EIT) on the Solar Heliospheric Observatory. Since SDO captures images every 12 seconds, it has been able to map the full evolution of these waves and confirm that they can travel across the full breadth of the sun. The waves move at over a million miles per hour, zipping from one side of the sun to the other in about an hour. The movie shows two distinct waves. The first seems to spread in all directions; the second is narrower, moving toward the southeast. Such waves are associated with, and perhaps trigger, fast coronal mass ejections, so it is likely that each one is connected to one of the two CMEs that erupted on March 6.

Caption: NASA/SDO

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[Terri]

The images of the sun that they capture now are absolutely BEAUTIFUL! I'am sooo in LOVE!

[aesteban]

Amazing video, like all the others uploaded by the NASA on this channel.

Many thanks from france for all the Sciencing you're doing for all humanity!

[moonfther]

Its like a majestic jewel in the sky radiating its essence from within to without. We feel the pulse....very cool!

[Muffalopadus]

The universe is just...awesome.

Thanks NASA!

[PetarBoev]

Thank you NASA for this amazing video...

[NYGUY]

Cool makes me remember how small this world is, who knows how many times this has happened on the side of the sun we cant see don't think its anything to worry about

[NineTailedArrancar]

its amazing that we're able to see such a thing. Some times humans get it right.

[marsCubed]

Amazing on full screen with Quality set to 1080p HD.

[swiessin]

@camprock2able G5 is indeed the top of the scale, but it won't kill anyone, it will just be very hard on anything electrical. There was a G5 storm in late 2003, and that turned out fine. The Earth's magnetic field can't get "blown away, " it just gets temporarily distorted. The atmosphere also protects us.

[Catcherintherye]

You should all be thankful to the minds that studied their asses off to give us the priveledge to view such sights as these.

[lekatilyn]

Where did the music in this video come from?

[aarosen]

I'm so glad we have a camera pointed directly at the sun at all times...

[dannewman]

Hate to break it to you; but if you read the description, it clearly states: "he waves move at over a million miles per hour, zipping from one side of the sun to the other in about an hour."

[Drjusmar]

@yamahavxdeluxe1997 The magnetosphere is not like a "shield" in sci-fi movies. Its Magnetic field created by the movement of molten iron in the core regions of the earth. It is a constant force, only effected by a change in core movement or a lowering amount of kinetic energy available. A magnetic field can not be whittled away, it is something that needs to be completely overwhelmed.

[iLovexKuSh]

Never Seen Something So Beautiful ! :)

[Godsmessage]

@23Godsmessage32 this is why the side of the sun facing earth is very active, because its the same side facing the HMO thats entering our solar system. This HMO (brown dwarf) is coming from the constellation Leo, it all adds up!

[AnAwesomeUsername]

@Kirbflow00 That didn't burst my bubble. Because of Leap Years, 2012 would have already happened. Therefore it is literally impossible for the world to end, because technically it already passed.
The Mayan calendar works like any other calendar. They simply decided to stop adding dates on what happens to be December 21st 2012.

[Mxsmanic]

Are the regular wave-like features that appear at 90° angles to each other when the movement of the image is fast actual phenomena on the sun or just artifacts of the imaging or post-production processing?

[raulebers]

Cada vez mas cerca, interesados.impotentes y asombrados
Gracias

[Cleitanious]

I wonder how it would feel to have been looking directly at the sun at the time of this eruption, or at the time the eruption visibly made it way to earth.