NASA has shared a jaw-dropping new image of our Sun as it appears to be shooting out X-rays.
The US space agency took to its Instagram on Sunday to reveal the stunning stellar photo, which was taken by the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR).
Nasa has shared a jaw-dropping new image of our Sun as it appears to be shooting out X-rays.[/caption]
What is NuSTAR?
NuSTAR is a space-based X-ray telescope that focuses on high-energy X-rays from astrophysical sources.
It observes the cosmos in a way that helps astronomers to map microflares on the surface of the Sun.
In Nasa’s composite NuSTAR image, which is overlaid with another from the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO), viewers can see multi-color X-rays launching from the sun.
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“Observations from NuSTAR shows high-energy solar emissions of various strength in green and blue, while the SDO view highlights lower-temperature material in the solar atmosphere in red,” Nasa explained in its post.
What do these X-ray colors mean?
The green in this image shows energies between 2 and 3 kiloelectron volts (or KeV).
Meanwhile, the blue indicates points between 3 and 5 kiloelectron volts; one keV is equal to 1000 electron volts.
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Nasa also noted that these high-energy X-rays come from gas heated to above 3 million degrees.
What is the SDO?
The Solar Dynamics Observatory is a Nasa mission that has been observing the Sun since 2010.
SDO helps astronomers study the Sun in a different way than NuSTAR.
Specifically, SDO monitors the “Sun’s influence on Earth and Near-Earth space by studying the solar atmosphere and magnetic field,” Nasa said.
Users’ reactions
Hundreds of thousands of Instagram users have liked Nasa’s image since it went live.
“Amazement,” one user said.
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“We love you Nasa,” a second person added.
“Omg, very very gorgeous,” a third Instagrammer proclaimed.
