Why Does NASA Observe The Sun in Different Colors?

A large sunspot rotates across the view in SDO/HMI || A leisurely view in the SDO Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI) of a very large sunspot group transiting the solar disk in October of 2014. This spot was the visible light component of the active region cataloged as NOAA 12192. || 4Kx4K frames of the large sunspot

Animation with no audio. || The U.S. Postal Service illuminates the light and warmth of our nearest star by highlighting these stunning images of the Sun on stamps. These images come from NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory, a spacecraft launched in February 2010 to keep a constant watch on the Sun.The Sun is the only star that humans are able to observe in great detail, making it a vital source of information about the universe. The Solar Dynamics Observatory lets us see the Sun in wavelengths of ultraviolet light that would otherwise be invisible to our eyes. Each black-and-white image is colorized to the bright hues seen here.The stamps highlight different features on the Sun that help scientists learn about how our star works and how its constantly churning magnetic fields create the solar activity we see. Sunspots, coronal holes and coronal loops, for example, can reveal how those magnetic fields dance through the Sun and its atmosphere. Observing plasma blasts and solar flares can help us better understand and mitigate the impact of such eruptions on technology in space.The Sun Science stamps are being issued as Forever stamps, which will always be equal in value to the current First-Class Mail 1-ounce price. || Animation with audio. Music credit: by Laurent Levesque [SACEM] from Universal Production Music || The U.S. Postal Service issued a set of stamps highlighting views of the Sun from NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory on June 18, 2021.Credits: U.S. Postal Service || The U.S. Postal Service issued a set of stamps highlighting views of the Sun from NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory on June 18, 2021.Credits: U.S. Postal Service || Coronal Hole The dark area capping the northern polar region of the Sun is a coronal hole, a magnetically open area on the Sun from which high-speed solar wind escapes into space. Such high-speed solar wind streams can spark magnificent auroral displays on Earth when they collide with our planet’s magnetic field. These images were captured May 17-19, 2016, and the image on the stamp is from May 17. The images show the Sun in 211 Angstrom light, a wavelength of extreme ultraviolet light. This type of light is invisible to our eyes and is absorbed by Earth’s atmosphere, so it can only be seen by instruments in space.Credit: NASA/SDO || Coronal LoopsVisible on the lower right of the Sun is a prominence, with its bright arcs traced out by charged particles spiraling along the Sun’s magnetic field lines. Coronal loops are often found over sunspots and active regions, which are areas of intense and complex magnetic fields on the Sun. These images were captured on June 18, 2015, in light at 304 Angstroms, an extreme ultraviolet wavelength.Credit: NASA/SDO || Solar FlareThe bright flash on the Sun’s upper right is a powerful X-class solar flare. X-class flares are the most powerful type of solar flare, and these bursts of light and energy can disturb the part of Earth’s atmosphere where GPS and radio signals travel. These images were captured on Aug. 9, 2011, in extreme ultraviolet wavelength 335 Angstroms.Credit: NASA/SDO || Active SunThis view highlights the many active regions dotting the Sun’s surface. Active regions are areas of intense and complex magnetic fields on the Sun – linked to sunspots – that are prone to erupting with solar flares or explosions of material called coronal mass ejections. This image was captured on Oct. 8, 2014, in extreme ultraviolet wavelength 171 Angstroms.Credit: NASA/SDO || Plasma BlastThese images show a burst of material from the Sun, called a coronal mass ejection. These eruptions of magnetized solar material can create space weather effects on Earth when they collide with our planet’s magnetosphere, or magnetic environment – including aurora, satellite disruptions, and, when extreme, even power outages. These images are a blend of extreme ultraviolet wavelengths 171 and 304 Angstroms, captured on Aug. 31, 2012.Credit: NASA/SDO || Coronal LoopsThese images show evolving coronal loops across the limb and disk of the Sun. Just days after these images were taken, the Sun unleashed a powerful X-class solar flare. These images were captured in extreme ultraviolet wavelength 171 Angstroms from July 8-10, 2012, and the image on the stamp is from July 9. Credit: NASA/SDO || SunspotsThis view in visible light – the type of light we can see – shows a cluster of sunspots near the center of the Sun. Sunspots appear dark because they are relatively cool compared to surrounding material, a consequence of the way their extremely dense magnetic field prevents heated material from rising to the solar surface. These images were captured Oct. 20-26, 2014, and the frame on the stamp is from Oct. 23.Credit: NASA/SDO || Plasma BlastThese images show a burst of plasma from the lower right of the Sun, which happened in conjunction with a mid-level solar flare. These images are a blend of extreme ultraviolet wavelengths 171 and 304 Angstroms from Oct. 2, 2014.Credit: NASA/SDO || Solar FlareThese images show another view of the Aug. 9, 2011, X-class solar flare featured in the blue-toned 335 Angstrom images. These images were captured in light at 131 Angstroms, an extreme ultraviolet wavelength.Credit: NASA/SDO || Coronal HoleThese images show a pair of coronal holes, one near the Sun’s equator and one at the Sun’s South Pole. These images were captured in extreme ultraviolet wavelength 193 Angstroms from Jan. 9-12, 2011, and the frame on the stamp is from Jan. 10.Credit: NASA/SDO

Find out more about the Sun on social media @NASASun and online at www.nasa.gov/sunearrthQuick link to associated B-R0LLQuick link to canned interview with DR. ALEX YOUNGQuick link to canned interview in Spanish with YAIRESKA COLLADO-VEGA || Get ready to see our Sun like never before! To celebrate the upcoming summer solstice, next week our Sun will take center stage nationwide on a new set of FOREVER STAMPS being released by the United States Postal Service. The stamps feature stunning images of the Sun captured by one of NASA’s premiere solar-observing telescopes. Chat one-on-one with NASA experts on Friday, June 18 between 6:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. EDT about what exactly is the summer solstice, what these new stamps are showing us about our closest star, and what it means that our Sun is ramping up activity. Our eyes can only see a narrow spectrum of light from the Sun, but space-based observatories can view the Sun in a wide swath of wavelengths allowing us to see features and activity our eyes cannot. Thanks to NASA’s solar missions like the Solar Dynamics Observatory we can see the Sun in exquisite detail like huge Earth-sized loops of solar material and massive flares. And now you can too -- just never look directly at the Sun! Our Sun is active and is always giving us reasons to watch it. Right now we’re at the start of a brand new solar cycle, meaning the Sun will slowly become more and more active over the course of the next several years. DETAILS: *To Schedule an interview: Please fill out this form: https://forms.gle/XLvyaybr8ckjFzTu8*Please note: requests received after 12:00 p.m. EDT on Thursday, June 17th may not be accommodated. *Interviews will be conducted using video chat programs including Zoom and Skype, in 15-minute slots. For example 600-615 ET, 615-630 EDT, etc. *Our preferred program is Zoom and stations will have to send us a Zoom link to use. *Satellite interviews are not available. Please do not use an IFB unless necessary.*Spanish Interviews are available! Not able to do an interview but still interested running a VO/VOSOT?…. We will post canned interviews in English and Spanish. Associated B-Roll and canned material will be posted here https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/13870 by Thursday, June 17 at 4:00 p.m. EDT. SUGGESTED ANCHOR INTRO: The U.S. Postal service is releasing a new set of Forever Stamps today to celebrate the summer solstice, featuring images of the sun taken by NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory. The NASA solar-observing telescopes that produced these images allow us to examine our closest star in astonishing detail, as we’ve never seen it before. Here to tell us more about these new stellar stamps and our summer solstice is || || || , of || || || __. Suggested Questions:This weekend is the summer solstice. What is a solstice? The United States Postal Service just released stamps showcasing the Sun in wavelengths that we’re not used to seeing it in. Can you show us these images and tell us a little about what we’re seeing?The summertime means warmer weather, does the Sun also have seasons? How does all of this solar activity affect us on Earth? Will the sun s activity ramping up impact moon and mars missions?Where can we learn more?Longer interview questionsWhat missions do we currently have studying the sun?NASA has two new missions that are currently orbiting closer to the Sun than ever before. What happens if they get hit by extreme solar weather as solar activity ramps up?There was a so-called “Ring of Fire” solar eclipse on June 10th that was visible at northern latitudes. When’s the next time North America will see an eclipse?How does studying our Sun help us better understand other stars in the universe? || Entrevista enlatada: SDO Live Shots 20210618Lenguaje: EspañolTalento: Yaireska Collado-Vega- Directora de laOficina de Análisis de Meteorología Espacial de laLuna a Marte -Centro de Vuelo Espacial Goddard de la NASALocación: Glen Burnie, MarylandTRT: 00:08:40:15