NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) has captured footage of a massive tornado on the surface of the Sun. The tornado, which was recorded in September 2021, was approximately the height of 14 Earths.
The tornado was a type of solar eruption called a filament eruption, which occurs when a dense strand of plasma in the Sun’s atmosphere becomes unstable and erupts into space. Filament eruptions are common on the Sun and can have significant effects on space weather.
The SDO captured the footage using its Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) instrument, which observes the Sun’s atmosphere in multiple wavelengths of light. The AIA was able to capture the tornado in extreme ultraviolet light, allowing scientists to study the structure and dynamics of the eruption in detail.
The footage shows the tornado twisting and turning on the surface of the Sun, with hot plasma swirling around it. The tornado was estimated to be approximately 500,000 kilometers in height, or around 40 times the diameter of the Earth.
While tornadoes on the Sun are not uncommon, the size and intensity of this particular tornado make it a significant event. The tornado’s height and the amount of plasma involved suggest that it was a large and powerful eruption.
The study of solar eruptions such as filament eruptions is important because they can have significant effects on Earth’s space weather. These eruptions can cause solar flares, coronal mass ejections, and other space weather phenomena that can disrupt satellite and communication systems and even affect power grids on Earth.
The SDO’s footage of the massive tornado on the Sun provides scientists with valuable insights into the structure and dynamics of these solar eruptions, which could help us better understand and predict their effects on Earth’s space weather.
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