I have always found pictures of the objects in outer space very interesting. This morning, (April 22nd), on the net, something new appeared: the first pictures of the sun taken by NASA's new Solar Dynamics Observatory, a satellite sent into space to collect info on solar activity. The new satellite is to provide scientists with the data that they need to help them to predict solar storms that can cause serious disruption in earth communications. Also, to delight us of the post Star Trek generations, the satellite provides photo and video images to nourish our curiosity for what's out there, and to keep us in tune with NASA, when it's NASA budget time.
See the video below, notice that big solar flare-up exploding from the sun's surface. The flare looks like a big loop of a solar storm. Scientists say that loop is bigger than one hundred earths. And if a solar storm like that one had been aimed at us on Earth, it could have caused "spectacular light displays" on our planet, and been a serious bummer to our electronics.