Astronomy Picture of the Day

   [1]Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
      fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation
                    written by a professional astronomer.

                               2026 January 13
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                          A Solar Eruption from SDO
     Video Credit: [2]NASA, [3]SDO, [4]AIA, [5]Helioviewer; Processing &
                       Text: [6]Ogetay Kayali ([7]MTU)

   Explanation: What just leapt from the Sun? A [8]towering structure of
   solar [9]plasma suddenly rose from the Sun's surface and unfurled into
   space -- a structure so large that many Earths would easily fit within
   it-- marking the onset of a dramatic [10]Coronal Mass Ejection (CME).
   The event was captured in striking detail in late 2024 by NASA's
   [11]Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO), whose continuous monitoring
   improves [12]space weather forecasts and helps humanity better
   understand [13]how solar activity affects satellites, GPS, radio
   communications, and power grids on Earth. The featured video blends
   three extreme-[14]ultraviolet views from SDO’s [15]Atmospheric Imaging
   Assembly (AIA), revealing how [16]plasma at different temperatures
   [17]surged upward as the eruption unfolded. Here, red highlights
   cooler, denser material lifted from the [18]Sun’s lower atmosphere,
   while yellow traces hotter, million-degree [19]coronal loops stretching
   outward as magnetic fields open. After the main outburst, the [20]Sun’s
   magnetic fields quickly reorganize.

                      Tomorrow's picture: pool of whirl
     __________________________________________________________________

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    Authors & editors: [32]Robert Nemiroff ([33]MTU) & [34]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([35]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Amber Straughn [36]Specific rights apply.
            [37]NASA Web Privacy, [38]Accessibility, [39]Notices;
                A service of: [40]ASD at [41]NASA / [42]GSFC,
                         [43]NASA Science Activation
                           & [44]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://www.nasa.gov/
   3. https://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/
   4. https://aia.lmsal.com/
   5. https://gs671-suske.ndc.nasa.gov/
   6. https://www.ogetay.com/
   7. https://www.mtu.edu/physics/
   8. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap220216.html
   9. https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/14299
  10. https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/phenomena/coronal-mass-ejections
  11. https://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  12. https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/spaceweather/
  13. https://www.weather.gov/safety/space
  14. https://science.nasa.gov/ems/10_ultravioletwaves/
  15. https://aia.lmsal.com/
  16. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plasma_(physics)
  17. https://www.reddit.com/media?url=https://i.redd.it/qybjdo71k1d51.jpg
  18. https://science.nasa.gov/blogs/the-sun-spot/2023/09/26/layers-of-the-sun/
  19. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap250730.html
  20. https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/4124/
  21. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260112.html
  22. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  23. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  24. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  25. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  26. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  27. https://apod.com/feed.rss
  28. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  29. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  30. https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=260113
  31. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260114.html
  32. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  33. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  34. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
  35. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  36. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  37. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  38. https://www.nasa.gov/general/accessibility/
  39. https://www.nasa.gov/privacy/
  40. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  41. https://www.nasa.gov/
  42. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  43. https://science.nasa.gov/learners
  44. http://www.mtu.edu/