Images courtesy SOHO (ESA & NASA). Animation by Windows to the Universe staff (Randy Russell).
Rotating Sun with Sunspots
This animation shows sunspots moving across the face of the Sun as the Sun rotates. The animation
spans a
period
of about
two
weeks during January 2005. If you watch the image, you can see the date changing.
The images were captured by an instrument
on
the
SOHO
(Solar & Heliospheric
Observatory) spacecraft. These images were captured in the
visible
part of the electromagnetic spectrum, so the view is comparable to
what you would see if you could look at the Sun without damaging your eyes.
NEVER LOOK DIRECTLY AT THE SUN without taking the right safety precautions!
(Note: If you cannot see the animation
you may need to download the latest QuickTime player.)
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