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Science Mission Directorate:

Understanding the Sun, Heliosphere, and Planetary Environments as a single connected system is a goal of the Heliophysics Research Program.

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Latest News and Features

Aurora over Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada in the early hours of Oct. 8, 2012.

Aurora from Oct. 8, 2012 CME

The CME release on Oct. 4, 2012 has generated a G2-level geomagnetic storm on Earth resulting in aurora in upper latitudes.

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During an eclipse, lack of heat from the sun causes the window in front of SDO’s HMI to change shape resulting in a blurry image (left). The right half shows HMI data at its usual high resolution

Getting NASA's SDO into Focus

From Sept. 6 to Sept. 29, 2012, NASA's Solar Dynamic Observatory moved into its semi-annual eclipse season. It takes a little work to re-focus right ...

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SDO captured this eruption on Oct 4, 2012.

Red Hot Solar Ballet

NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory captured this minor eruption on the sun on Oct 4, 2012 as it rises and falls with the grace and polished movement ...

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Aurora in Whitehorse Yukon Canada on Oct. 1 resulting from CME on Sept. 27.

CME Causes Colorful Aurora

The CME launched by the sun on Sept. 27 resulted in aurora dipping into the continental U.S. as far south as Maryland and Ohio on Sept. 30, 2012.

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Latest Solar Images

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Quiet Corona, Upper Transition region	Chromosphere, Transition region;	Composite	Magnetogram of Photosphere

> More solar images from the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO)
> More solar images from Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO)

Feature Stories

NASA's Solar Fleet Peers Into Coronal Cavities

By understanding the morphology, density and temperature of coronal cavities scientists can better understand eruptions on the sun and the space weather that can disrupt technologies near Earth.
Hours After Launch, RBSP Takes First Science Steps

Immediately after launch, RBSP entered a 60-day commissioning phase of operations, where all of the spacecrafts’ systems and instruments are activated, monitored, and made ready for the two-year primary science mission.
New 'Chorus' Recording By RBSP's EMFISIS Instrument

Radio waves, recorded by RBSP's EMFISIS instrument, are at frequencies that are audible to the human ear and are emitted by the energetic particles in the Earth’s magnetosphere.
New RBSP Instrument Telemetry Provides 'Textbook' Excitement

Just three days after launch, live data of the particles in the Van Allen radiation belts from the two RBSP spacecraft, provides full science data right out of the box.

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News

SDO Enters Its Semiannual Eclipse Season

Twice a year, for three weeks near the equinox, SDO moves into its eclipse season -- a time when Earth blocks its view of the sun for a period of time each day