The Solar Dynamics Observatory

The visuals demonstrate the type of data that is made available to scientists through the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). By observing the sun in different wavelengths - and therefore different temperatures - researchers can analyze the movement of material within the corona, which offers valuable clues about the causes of solar eruptions, the factors that contribute to the sun's atmosphere being heated to temperatures thousands of times hotter than its surface, and the reasons behind the sun's magnetic fields being in a state of constant motion