Helios

The image displayed here was captured by NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO), a space telescope that has been continuously monitoring our Sun since 2010. As part of NASA’s Living With a Star program, SDO provides views of solar activity, studying our nearest star across multiple wavelengths simultaneously.

SDO’s mission is to unlock the mysteries of how the Sun’s magnetic field generates the solar wind, energetic particles, and radiation that directly impact Earth and near-Earth space. By observing the solar atmosphere the observatory helps scientists understand the Sun’s influence on our planet and the space environment that affects satellites, communications, and even life itself.

The real-time solar imagery you see below has been processed to highlight the dynamic and ever-changing nature of our Sun’s surface and atmosphere, offering a window into the powerful forces that drive space weather and shape our solar system.

Courtesy of NASA/SDO and the AIA, EVE, and HMI science teams.