Another view of the flare over AR9906 on April 21, 2002. This version represents the full resolution of the TRACE data. This visualization represents eight hours of observing time.

Fly-in of TRACE full sun image to the flare location. Fade to a model of the field lines with a magnetogram of the solar surface. Pull back out to display a movie of flare images. This version uses lens flares to illustrate matter motion along the field lines.

Fly-in of TRACE full sun image to the flare location. Fade to a model of the field lines with a magnetogram of the solar surface. Pull back out to display a movie of flare images. This version does not show the matter motion along the field lines.

An animation of an M-class flare viewed by the RHESSI instrument on February 20, 2002. On tape, this version plays at the maximum speed of one frame corresponding to 3.5 seconds of data collection time. The flare was located at -17.8 degrees South, 9.8 degrees West (heliographic coordinates) in NOAA active region number 9830.

An animation of an M-class flare viewed by the RHESSI instrument on February 20, 2002. On tape, this version plays at a speed of four video frames corresponding to 3.75 seconds of data collection time. The flare was located at -17.8 degrees South, 9.8 degrees West (heliographic coordinates) in NOAA active region number 9830.

An animation of an M-class flare viewed by the RHESSI instrument on February 20, 2002. On tape, this version plays at a speed of two video frames corresponding to 3.5 seconds of data collection time. The flare was located at -17.8 degrees South, 9.8 degrees West (heliographic coordinates) in NOAA active region number 9830.

This view from SOHO-EIT in the 195 Angstrom band, shows the multitude of solar flares released in the Fall of 2003 as a group of active regions rotated back into view. This movie is synchronized to play with animation IDs 2960 (http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov-vis-a000000-a002900-a002960) and 2961 (http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov-vis-a000000-a002900-a002961). For more information on how X-ray solar flares are classified (B, C, M, X), visit (http://www.spaceweather.com-glossary-flareclasses.html).

This view from SOHO-EIT in the 304 Angstrom band, shows a group of active regions rotating back into view. This movie is synchronized to play with animation IDs 2959 (http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov-vis-a000000-a002900-a002959) and 2961 (http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov-vis-a000000-a002900-a002961). One obvious difference is that solar flares are not as visible at this wavelength than at the 195 Angstrom band. The 304 Angstrom filter was not used as frequently as the 195 Angstrom filter, so this movie has more jumps in its time coverage. For more information on how X-ray solar flares are classified (B, C, M, X), visit (http://www.spaceweather.com-glossary-flareclasses.html).

This movie is a combination of SOHO-EIT at 195 Angstroms as well as the LASCO-C2 and C3 cameras. At this scale we can see the flashes from solar flares in SOHO-EIT (green) and the subsequent coronal mass ejections in SOHO-LASCO-C2 (red) and SOHO-LASCO-C3 (blue). This movie is synchronized to play with animation IDs 2960 (http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov-vis-a000000-a002900-a002960) and 2959 (http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov-vis-a000000-a002900-a002959). For more information on how X-ray solar flares are classified (B, C, M, X), visit (http://www.spaceweather.com-glossary-flareclasses.html).

SOHO-EITs view of the Sun in late January 2005.

Here's a view of the Sun, from the point of view of a fleet of Sun-observing spacecraft - SOHO, TRACE, and RHESSI. The time scales of the data samples in this visualization range from 6 hours to as short as 12 seconds and the display rate varies throughout the movie. The region and event of interest is the solar flare over solar active region AR9906 on April 21, 2002. In this visualization, the instrument names appear in a color roughly matching the color used for the data, and black corresponds to no (current) instrument coverage.

Close-up view of the solar active region AR9906 on April 21, 2002 with TRACE and RHESSI data. RHESSI observes x-rays from this flare. The red contours represent the 12-25 keV photon energy range and the blue contours represent 50-100 keV.

Zoom in (with rotation) to solar active region AR9906 on April 21, 2002 with SOHO-EIT,TRACE and RHESSI data. RHESSI observes x-rays from this flare. The red contours represent the 12-25 keV photon energy range and the blue contours represent 50-100 keV.

Zoom in to solar active region AR9906 on April 21, 2002 with SOHO-EIT, TRACE and RHESSI data. RHESSI observes x-rays from this flare. The red contours represent the 12-25 keV photon energy range and the blue contours represent 50-100 keV.

A full view of the sun at 195 Angstroms from SOHO-EIT. The time covers July 15-23, 2002. Four X-class flares erupted: an X3.0 on July 15, an X1.8 on July 18, a X3.3 on July 20 and an X4.0 on July 23.

A view of the sun at 195 Angstroms from SOHO-EIT. The time covers July 15-23, 2002. Four X-class flares erupted: an X3.0 on July 15, an X1.8 on July 18, a X3.3 on July 20 and an X4.0 on July 23. The version zooms in slightly to the flare region.

The January 20 flare began just before 2 a.m. ET. A storm of energetic protons impacted Earth just 15 minutes later. These views of the flare are from the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO). The proton storm near Earth causes `snow in the images, obscuring the Sun as radiation swamps the cameras. The structure at the 1:30 position in the SOHO-LASCO-C3 data is the occulting disk pylon.

The SORCE mission monitors solar variability to determine its impact on the Earths climate. The X-ray photometer aboard SORCE observes the record-breaking solar flares in the Fall of 2003. The line graph shows the photometers measured solar radiation flux in the 1-7 nanometer wavelength band (x-ray) measured in milliwatts per square meter. The ultraviolet (195 Angstrom) imagery from SOHO-EIT (green) illustrates where the flares (the bright white spots) are located on the solar disk. This version has the contents slightly smaller for use in video.

Zoom in on the Sun to show the outflow region.