For ages, the Sun has been an object of mystery and fascination for people. With advancement in technology, now it’s possible for scientists to unveil a bit of that enigma. Also, thanks to social media handles and pages maintained by the different space agencies, we get a chance to witness some of the happenings involving the star. Case in point, Nasa’s latest post that shows a coronal mass ejection (CME) erupting from the Sun’s surface.
“Our review of the solar system? One star,” they wrote as the first line of the post’s caption. In the next few lines, they shared more information about the particular CME whose footage they also shared. They wrote that the “waves of solar plasma shoot billions of particles into space at about 1 million miles, or 1,600,000 kilometers, per hour.”
“This particular CME, seen in extreme ultraviolet light by our Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) in 2013, did not head toward Earth. Unlike solar flares, which are powerful bursts of radiation that can temporarily cause communications and navigation blackouts, CMEs like this one can temporarily overload electrical systems if power companies are not prepared. Thankfully, our fleet of solar observatories helps us track these fascinating components of space weather, so disruptions on Earth are minimal,” they added.
Take a look at the post:
{{/usCountry}}Take a look at the post:
{{/usCountry}}The post, since being shared some six hours ago, has already gathered more than two million views and the numbers are only increasing.
“Is this a true footage,” asked an Instagram user. To which, Nasa replied, “Yes! Our Solar Dynamics Observatory captured it with a light filter. The spacecraft orbits the Sun and monitors its activity so we can better understand it.”
“Wow, amazing,” expressed another. “Beautiful,” wrote a third.
What are your thoughts on the post shared by Nasa?