This beautiful, unreal portrait of the Sun was taken by NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory as it was moving into its eclipse season:
Twice a year, for three weeks near the vernal and autumnal equinox, NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) spacecraft moves into its eclipse season-a brief spell when Earth blocks its view of the sun for a period of time each day. Any spacecraft observing the sun from an orbit around Earth has to contend with such eclipses. But SDO’s orbit is designed to minimize their occurrence as they also cause a temporary blurring of images in one of its instruments. The most recent eclipse season took place September 6-29, 2012. As Earth entered and exited SDO’s field of vision, its advanced imaging instruments captured partial views of the sun at multiple wavelengths. Solar scientists do not get much use from these images, though atmospheric researchers may be able to gain some insights by observing the sun’s light as it moves through Earth’s atmosphere. Watch the video to see images of Earth passing between the sun and SDO.
Watch the video of Earth getting in and out of frame. It’s amazing that we can be looking at things like this. Just think about that fusion furnace with a diameter more than 100 times bigger than Earth floating out there. [NASA]
