Sun  ID: 30726

NuSTAR Stares at the Sun

Released on November 19, 2015
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Blue-White areas in composite image with NuSTAR data show most energetic spots.
Flaring, active regions of our sun are highlighted in this image from April 29, 2015, combining observations from several telescopes. High-energy X-rays from NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) are shown in blue; low-energy X-rays from Japan's Hinode spacecraft are green; and extreme ultraviolet light from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) is yellow and red. The NuSTAR image is a mosaic made from combining smaller images. The active regions across the sun's surface contain material heated to several millions of degrees. The blue-white areas showing the NuSTAR data pinpoint the most energetic spots. During the observations, microflares went off, which are smaller versions of the larger flares that also erupt from the sun's surface. The microflares rapidly release energy and heat the material in the active regions. Scientists plan to continue to study the sun with NuSTAR to learn more about microflares, as well as hypothesized nanoflares, which are even smaller.

For More Information

http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA19821

http://www.nustar.caltech.edu/image/nustar150708a

Credits

Marit Jentoft-Nilsen: Project Support
Heather Hanson (GST): Writer
Mark Malanoski (GST): Project Support
Please give credit for this item to:
NASA/JPL-Caltech/GSFC/JAXA

Short URL to share this page:
https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/30726

Missions:
Hinode (Solar-b)
NuSTAR
SDO

Data Used:
SDO
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Hinode/X-ray Telescope (XRT) also referred to as: Hinode XRT
Observed Data - JAXA
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NuSTAR
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Note: While we identify the data sets used in these visualizations, we do not store any further details nor the data sets themselves on our site.

Keywords:
SVS >> Hyperwall
NASA Science >> Sun
SVS >> Presentation
GCMD >> Earth Science >> Sun-earth Interactions >> Solar Energetic Particle Flux >> X-ray Flux

GCMD keywords can be found on the Internet with the following citation: Olsen, L.M., G. Major, K. Shein, J. Scialdone, S. Ritz, T. Stevens, M. Morahan, A. Aleman, R. Vogel, S. Leicester, H. Weir, M. Meaux, S. Grebas, C.Solomon, M. Holland, T. Northcutt, R. A. Restrepo, R. Bilodeau, 2013. NASA/Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Earth Science Keywords. Version 8.0.0.0.0