The Sun in 3-D!

An artist's concept of STEREO surrounding the sun. Credit: NASA

For many years scientists have warned us to never look directly at the sun because it gives off waves that can damage our eyesight. Now scientists are presenting an image of the sun that is not only fine to view, but also the first of its kind. On February 6th, NASA’s twin STEREO probes recorded images of the entire sun by settling into position on either side. Up until now, there was a small gap on the far side of the sun that we weren’t able to see.

Better than a Hollywood movie, we can now watch solar activity in 3-D! The STEREO probes work by photographing one half of the star and sending the pictures to Earth. Then scientists put the images together in the shape of a sphere. One researcher even said that technology such as this will allow us to “fly around the sun to see what’s happening over the horizon – without ever leaving our desks.” This sounds pretty exciting. This new discovery will help lots of different people, including airlines, power companies and satellite operators.

Visit NASA's STEREO Page for more information.