The SDO or the Solar Dynamic Observatory was launched on February 11, 2010, and was a part of the Living with a Star or the LWS project.
The LWS project seeks to understand the effects of solar activities on Earth and near-Earth space around it. It studies the solar atmosphere on small scales of space and time and in a wide array of wavelengths.
It also seeks to understand how magnetic energy is produced in the Sun and how it is stored and released into the space around the sun known as heliosphere and geospace. This magnetic energy is spread in the form of solar wind, or energetic particles.
The sun is our nearest star and also is our only source of energy. Sun is always in a dynamic state and rapidly changing. Sunspot activities and solar flares have a bearing on Earth and the near-Earth space around it filled with satellites of every kind.
In fact, the numbers of satellites are so large that any alien civilization which is viewing the planet from millions of miles away may mistake it be a ring much akin to the rings seen on Saturn. The only difference is Saturn’s rings are made of debris while Earth’s rings are manmade.
The solar activity has a big bearing on these satellites and scientists keep the Sun under 24 hrs surveillance with its Solar Dynamic Observatory. NASA has released a Time Lapse video of the Sun, which shows the sun in all its glory.
The images have been taken for a period from January 1st, 2015 to January 28th, 2016. The SDO snapped pix every 12 seconds.
These images have been edited together and the time lapse video has been prepared which shows all the activities which have taken place on the Sun for the period of 393 days.
The images help scientists understand the complexity of the electromagnetic system which causes constant upheavals on the surface of the sun, affecting Earth.
