SDO First Light

  • Released Thursday, March 25th, 2010
  • Updated Thursday, September 6th, 2018 at 12:00AM

Overview

These are "First Light" release movies for Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) from April 11, 2010. For more information about SDO, visit the SDO web site @ NASA.gov.

Press Release Materials

SDO Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA)

The Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) views the lower atmosphere of the Sun in ultraviolet wavelengths where we can see hot plasma moving along magnetic field lines. Home page for the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly.

SDO Helioseismic Magnetic Imager (HMI) Continuum Images

The continuum images are constructed from several filters on HMI which closely resemble an optical image.

The Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI) images the Sun in a set of narrow wavelengths which enables us to study motions at the solar surface and collect magnetic field information. Home Page for the Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager.

SDO HMI Magnetograms

Magnetograms are constructed from multiple images, measuring the splitting of spectral lines in a magnetic field, called the Zeeman effect (Wikipedia).

The Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI) images the Sun in a set of narrow wavelengths which enables us to study motions at the solar surface and collect magnetic field information. Home Page for the Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager.

SDO HMI Dopplergrams

Dopplergrams are also constructed from multiple filtered images, measuring the speed of each pixel by measuring the Doppler Shift (Wikipedia) of the spectral line.

The Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI) images the Sun in a set of narrow wavelengths which enables us to study motions at the solar surface and collect magnetic field information. Home Page for the Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager.

SDO and Previous Missions

Additional SDO Resources