An ultraviolet image of the Sun’s atmosphere
The image was acquired by NASA’s SDO spacecraft.
Credit: NASA/Goddard/SDO AIA Team

NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) has returned its first images that yield new insights for understanding our dynamic Sun.
Some of SDO’s images show unprecedented detail of material flowing from sunspots, regions of magnetic activity and a relatively low temperature, on the surface of the Sun. Others show superb close-ups of activity on the solar surface. SDO has also made the first high-resolution measurements of solar flares in the energetic ultraviolet radiation. Solar flares are extremely powerful solar eruptions that occur in the solar atmosphere. They emit large amounts of electromagnetic radiations, including visible light.

Launched on 11 February 2010, SDO is the most advanced observatory ever designed to study the Sun. During its five-year mission, it will examine the Sun's magnetic field and the influence of the Sun on Earth's climate and atmospheric chemistry.
SDO’s engineers have accomplished testing the space

craft’s components. SDO will provide images with quality 10 times better than high-definition television, and will return more comprehensive science data faster than any other Sun-observing spacecraft.

SDO will investigate the structure and origin of the Sun's magnetic field, and the mechanisms of violent solar phenomena, such as the solar wind, solar flares and coronal mass ejections. These eruptive gigantic clouds of particles, when flung toward Earth, can cause disturbances in Earth’s magnetosphere and upper atmosphere.

SDO will provide critical data that will improve the ability to predict these “space weather” events. Space weather is the near-Earth space environment. Space weather effects have been known to be related to technological problems since the invention of the telegraph in the 19th century. Space weather events produce disturbances in electromagnetic fields on Earth that can induce extreme currents in wires, disrupting power lines. They can also interfere with telecommunications.

Further Reading
SDO Website
http://www.nasa.gov/sdo

Aymen Mohamed Ibrahem
Senior Astronomy Specialist