NASA releases video of 800000km whip-like solar filament above the sun

12 years ago | Posted in: science | 621 Views

LOOKING more science fiction than just straight science this amazing tentacle-like eruption on the face of the sun has been captured by NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO).
Measuring 800,000km long and visible over two days in August, this “solar whip” could wrap around our humble planet roughly twenty times.

However, the chances of this tentacle-like wonder being attached to some kind of malicious molten-based alien is extremely unlikely according to NASA.
“Filaments are simply cooler clouds of solar material that are tethered above the sun’s surface by unstable magnetic forces,” NASA said in a statement.

Phew, whatever that means.

The video was shot from August 6 to 8, and shows the filament as a darker strand that has been in view for several days.

Towards the end of the video part of the filament seems to break away, but its basic length and shape seem to have remained mostly intact.
Estimates from NOAA spaceweather prediction centre suggests that a cloud of radiation from the solar whip will reach Earth today.
The effects will be a minor to moderate geomagnetic storm, which will bring the northern lights to parts of North America, but more importantly, no alien invasion.
Ref: http://www.news.com.au

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