This 10-year time lapse of the solar cycle is breathtaking

A decade after launch, NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory delivers a stunning video of the sun.

This weekend, you should probably go stare at the sun.

While this would normally be an ill-advised thing to do, thanks to a recently released time-lapse depicting the sun’s solar cycle, you could do this safely while social-distancing from the comfort of your home.

In February 2010, NASA launched the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO), a first-of-its-kind spacecraft with one job to do: study the sun.

Now, using some of the 425 million photos the SDO has collected so far, NASA has created a stunning time-lapse depicting the sun’s solar cycle, an 11-year-long period bookended by the flipping of the star’s magnetic poles.

The Solar Cycle

The hour-long video begins at a point in the sun’s solar cycle called the “solar minimum.” This period is relatively calm, with just the occasional burst of bright light signalling some sort of solar activity, a sunspot or solar flare, for example.

The number and intensity of these bursts increases in the video until they peak near its midpoint — that’s when the cycle reaches the “solar maximum” — and then begin subsiding once again.

When the SDO launched, NASA didn’t expect the spacecraft to capture this entire solar cycle — it was only designed for a five-year mission.

But because it has remained functional for twice that, NASA scientists have been able to collect data on a full cycle — data they can use to predict the sun’s future magnetic activity, which could affect everything from the function of satellites to the health of astronauts.

A Decade of SDO Discoveries

During its decade in orbit, the data collected from SDO has yielded many discoveries — and at least one of which may eventually help us power life on Earth.

In  2019, the SDO led to a discovery of a brand-new type of magnetic explosion that scientists had first theorized existed a decade prior.

That discovery could help researchers figure out how to better control plasma in a lab setting, which could help with the development of nuclear fusion technology.

And the SDO isn’t done yet — it still has its sights fixed firmly on the sun, meaning it could yield new insights in the future that we haven’t even considered.

We’d love to hear from you! If you have a comment about this article or if you have a tip for a future Freethink story, please email us at [email protected].

Related
T-Minus Weekly: NASA’s first asteroid sample, Stoke’s big hop, and more
Freethink’s weekly countdown of the biggest developments in space, featuring NASA’s first asteroid sample, a Curiosity milestone, and more.
Why astronomers are excited about carbon dioxide and methane in the atmosphere of an alien world
Scientists reported chemical traces in the atmosphere of planet K2-18b, including a substance which on Earth is only produced by living things.
NASA has retrieved its first asteroid sample
NASA has just retrieved its first asteroid sample, bringing nearly 9 ounces of the asteroid Bennu to Earth.
Spending time in space can harm the human body − but scientists are working to mitigate these risks before we go to Mars
With NASA planning more missions to space in the future, scientists are studying how to mitigate health hazards that come with space flight.
Astronomers spot the first “bounce” in our Universe
Imprinted in the structure of the universe are “bouncing” signals from early on: where gravitating normal matter was pushed out by radiation.
Up Next
people on the moon
Subscribe to Freethink for more great stories