The Sun in HD: Latest Photos by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory

SDO Sees Sun Tornadoes

NASA/SDO

Tornado-like plasma twisters dance across the sun in this still from a NASA video recorded by the Solar Dynamics Observatory during a 30-hour period between Feb. 7 and 8 in 2012.

X-Class Solar Flare Seen by SDO - March 6, 2012

NASA/SDO

NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory caught the huge X-class solar flare erupting from the surface of the sun on March 6, 2012.

Solar Dynamics Observatory Independence Day Fireworks

NASA/SDO/AIA/Helioviewer/TheSunToday

This image shows four separate images of the M5.3 class flare from the morning of July 4, 2012.

Strong Solar Flare: April 11, 2013

NASA/SDO

NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory captured this image of a powerful M6.5 class flare, the strongest of 2013 at the time, at 3:16 EDT on April 11, 2013. This image shows a combination of light in wavelengths of 131 and 171 Angstroms.

Solar Eruption of Aug. 31, 2012

NASA/SDO/AIA/Goddard Space Flight Center

On Aug. 31, 2012, a giant prominence on the sun erupted, sending out particles and a shock wave that traveled near Earth. This event may have been one of the causes of a third radiation belt that appeared around Earth a few days later, a phenomenon that was observed for the very first time by the newly-launched Van Allen Probes. This image of the prominence before it erupted was captured by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory.

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