CMEs Galore
Coronal mass ejections were popping out from the Sun at a pace of two per day on average (Apr. 18-23, 2013). We counted ten CMEs for the five days, but some of the eruptions were complex and difficult to differentiate from one another. Almost all of them blew particles out to the left, most of them probably originating from the same active region. These were taken by the STEREO (Ahead) spacecraft's coronagraph, in which the black disk blocks the Sun (represented by the white circle) so that we can observe the fainter features beyond it. Credit: NASA/STEREO
The same region of the sun erupted with another coronal mass ejection (CME) at 3:54 a.m. on April 21, 2013. Experimental NASA research models show the CME left the sun at speeds of 550 miles per second. The models show that the CME will also pass by NASA's Messenger and the flank of the CME may graze STEREO-A.
Another coronal mass ejection (CME) has erupted from the sun, headed toward Mercury and NASA's Messenger spacecraft. The CME began at 12:39 p.m. EDT on April 21, 2013. Experimental NASA research models show that the CME left the sun at 625 miles per second and that it will catch up to the CME from earlier on April 21 before the combined CMEs pass Messenger. There is also chance that the combined CMEs will give a glancing blow to STEREO-A.
The third coronal mass ejection (CME) in two days erupted off the sun in the direction of Mercury on April 21, 2013, at 12:39 p.m. EDT. This image of the CME, shown shooting off the right side of the image, was capture by the joint ESA and NASA Solar Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO). The sun is blocked in this image so its brightness doesn't obscure the solar atmosphere, the corona.
Credit: ESA&NASA/SOHO
The third coronal mass ejection (CME) in two days erupted off the sun in the direction of Mercury on April 21, 2013, at 12:39 p.m. EDT. This image of the CME, shown shooting off the right side of the image, was capture by the joint ESA and NASA Solar Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO). The sun is blocked in this image so its brightness doesn't obscure the solar atmosphere, the corona.
Credit: ESA&NASA/SOHO
The third coronal mass ejection (CME) in two days erupted off the sun in the direction of Mercury on April 21, 2013, at 12:39 p.m. EDT. This image of the CME, shown shooting off the right side of the image, was capture by the joint ESA and NASA Solar Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO). The sun is blocked in this image so its brightness doesn't obscure the solar atmosphere, the corona.
Credit: ESA&NASA/SOHO
The third coronal mass ejection (CME) in two days erupted off the sun in the direction of Mercury on April 21, 2013, at 12:39 p.m. EDT. This image of the CME, shown shooting off the right side of the image, was capture by the joint ESA and NASA Solar Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO). The sun is blocked in this image so its brightness doesn't obscure the solar atmosphere, the corona.
Credit: ESA&NASA/SOHO
The third coronal mass ejection (CME) in two days erupted off the sun in the direction of Mercury on April 21, 2013, at 12:39 p.m. EDT. This image of the CME, shown shooting off the right side of the image, was capture by the joint ESA and NASA Solar Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO). The sun is blocked in this image so its brightness doesn't obscure the solar atmosphere, the corona.
Credit: ESA&NASA/SOHO
Credits
Please give credit for this item to:
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. However, individual images should be credited as indicated above.
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- Karen Fox (ADNET)
Video editors
- Genna Duberstein (ADNET)
- Steele Hill (Wyle Information Systems)
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- Scott Wiessinger (KBRwyle)
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