NASA Spacecraft Captures Sun's Year-End Outburst on Video | The Sun & Space Weather | Solar Flares & Coronal Mass Ejections

NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory spacecraft captured this shot during a period of intense solar storm activity from Dec. 29-30, 2011. CREDIT: NASA/SDO View full size image

The sun closed out 2011 with a flurry of activity, and a keen-eyed NASA spacecraft captured the dramatic outburst on video.

NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) watched as our star erupted in dozens of storms during a 36-hour period on Dec. 29 and Dec. 30. The probe's stunning video, taken in extreme ultraviolet light, shows spouts of plasma and intense flashes of radiation blasting from the solar surface.

"Magnetic forces were violently pulling against each other, creating the frenetic [...]

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You can follow SPACE.com senior writer Mike Wall on Twitter: @michaeldwall. Follow SPACE.com for the latest in space science and exploration news on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook.

Full article (and video) at space.com

 

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