NASA's SDO sees Sun producing swirling activity on both its sides (Watch)

The sun produced swirling prominence activity of both its side, one after the other, over two days (December 7-8, 2016).

Image credit: Solar Dynamics Observatory, NASA

New Delhi: NASA has released new images of our scintillating Sun in action captured by its Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) on December 7-8.

The images captured by the SDO show the sun producing swirling prominence activity of both its side, one after the other, over two days (December 7-8, 2016). First, on the left edge, a prominence rose up and partially broke away into space, with some of the material falling back into the sun. Meanwhile, along the right edge, a twisting and tangled mass of plasma was pulled this way and that by magnetic forces throughout both days.

The sun produced swirling activity on both its sides, one after the other, over two days on Dec. 7 – 8 https://t.co/ueIvqMlxfg @NASASunEarth pic.twitter.com/m8M5wQ3LV6

— NASA (@NASA) December 16, 2016

NASA says this kind of activity is fairly common, but visually engaging nevertheless. Images were taken in a wavelength of extreme ultraviolet light.

Launched on February 11, 2010, the observatory has been studying the Sun and investigating how it's magnetic field is generated and structured, and how this stored magnetic energy is converted and released into the heliosphere and geospace in the form of solar wind, energetic particles, and variations in the solar irradiance.