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.

Students are introduced to our Sun as they explore its composition, what is happening inside it, its relationship to our planet (our energy source), and the ways engineers help us learn about it.

Here is a close-up view of dark tentacles or tadpoles moving towards the solar surface in this solar flare of April 21, 2002 seen by TRACE. One theory proposed in this press release is that they are due to voids created by magnetic reconnection in the flare. This version of the visualization does not display the instrument clock time tags.

Here is a close-up view of dark tentacles or tadpoles moving towards the solar surface in this solar flare of April 21, 2002 seen by TRACE. One theory proposed in this press release is that they are due to voids created by magnetic reconnection in the flare. This version of the visualization displays the instrument clock time tags.

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.

The solar flare at Active Region 10039 on July 23, 2002 exhibits many exceptional high-energy phenomena including the 2.223 MeV neutron capture line and the 511 keV electron-positron (antimatter) annihilation line. In the animation, the RHESSI low-energy channels (12-25 keV) are represented in red and appears predominantly in coronal loops. The high-energy flux appears as blue at the footpoints of the coronal loops. Violet is used to indicate the location and relative intensity of the 2.2MeV emission.

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.