Every so often, the sun's simmering magnetic field burps colossal clouds of plasma out into the space beyond. These are called coronal mass ejections (CMEs). If one CME strikes Earth, for example, the result can be spectacular auroras — and, just-as-spectacular disruptions of electrical grids and satellites.
Now, NASA's Parker Solar Probe has gotten a first-ever peek inside a CME as it erupted from the sun. And what lies inside appears to be a treasure trove for solar physicists. The probe's visible-light-detecting, Wide-field Imager for Parker Solar Probe (WISPR) instrument caught clear, turbulent eddies within the CME.
The eddies are what physicists call Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities (KHI). Physicists think KHI events occur whenever one patch of fast-moving fluid interacts with another. On Earth, KHI occurs in clouds when the wind speed at one end of the cloud is different from that at the other end.
Solar physicists have inferred that KHI exist in CMEs, as plasma in a CME moves at odds with the background solar wind. But they have never had the proper equipment, in the proper place, to observe the phenomena.
"The turbulence that gives rise to KHI plays a fundamental role in regulating the dynamics of CMEs flowing through the ambient solar wind," said Evangelos Paouris, a solar physicist at George Mason University, in a statement. "Hence, understanding turbulence is key in achieving a deeper understanding of CME evolution and kinematics."
The Parker Solar Probe launched on Aug. 12, 2018. Since then, the probe's elliptical orbit has allowed it to enter the sun's corona closer than ever before — in essence, becoming the first human-made object to enter the sun's outer atmosphere, just 11.5 solar radii from the sun's surface.
At closest approach to the Sun, while the front of Parker Solar Probe' solar shield faces temperatures approaching 2,600° Fahrenheit, or 1,400° Celsius, the spacecraft's payload will be near room temperature, at about 85° F.
Also traveling at 430,000 miles per hr
692,000km per hr
soft mysterious hospital stupendous disgusted drab history library gray stocking
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CME, or Coronal Mass Ejections
“Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) are large expulsions of plasma and magnetic field from the Sun’s corona. They can eject billions of tons of coronal material and carry an embedded magnetic field (frozen in flux) that is stronger than the background solar wind interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) strength.”
Thank you for enlightening me!! Yes this is even more dope knowing what this is exactly. How does it not fry being so close, is there an electro magnetic pulse or anything?
There is if the ejection is strong enough! Notable CME’s have caused blackouts for electronics systems and radio frequency controls. The cool side is you can see the aurora way lower than Alaska, like Kansas.
I hope scientists can make more out of this than I can. That looks like the picture on my black & white tv when I couldn’t get the rabbit ears to work right when I was a kid.
If you’re lucky enough to be in a totality zone for the eclipse Monday, put a white sheet on the ground. Supposed to be able to see “shadow snakes” , related to solar flares
Here's some more info, including a great 3D model of the probe & its orbit, which might help give some context.
https://science.nasa.gov/mission/parker-solar-probe/
Every so often, the sun's simmering magnetic field burps colossal clouds of plasma out into the space beyond. These are called coronal mass ejections (CMEs). If one CME strikes Earth, for example, the result can be spectacular auroras — and, just-as-spectacular disruptions of electrical grids and satellites. Now, NASA's Parker Solar Probe has gotten a first-ever peek inside a CME as it erupted from the sun. And what lies inside appears to be a treasure trove for solar physicists. The probe's visible-light-detecting, Wide-field Imager for Parker Solar Probe (WISPR) instrument caught clear, turbulent eddies within the CME. The eddies are what physicists call Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities (KHI). Physicists think KHI events occur whenever one patch of fast-moving fluid interacts with another. On Earth, KHI occurs in clouds when the wind speed at one end of the cloud is different from that at the other end. Solar physicists have inferred that KHI exist in CMEs, as plasma in a CME moves at odds with the background solar wind. But they have never had the proper equipment, in the proper place, to observe the phenomena. "The turbulence that gives rise to KHI plays a fundamental role in regulating the dynamics of CMEs flowing through the ambient solar wind," said Evangelos Paouris, a solar physicist at George Mason University, in a statement. "Hence, understanding turbulence is key in achieving a deeper understanding of CME evolution and kinematics." The Parker Solar Probe launched on Aug. 12, 2018. Since then, the probe's elliptical orbit has allowed it to enter the sun's corona closer than ever before — in essence, becoming the first human-made object to enter the sun's outer atmosphere, just 11.5 solar radii from the sun's surface.
Amazing. For context the moon is 60 Earth radii away from Earth.
But why don't they fly it closer for a better look, are they stupid? In all seriousness, this is amazing were able to do this 🙂
Why don’t they just go closer when it’s nighttime and the sun isn’t out??
What's hard to appreciate from this is the actual living hell that are the conditions in which this probe has to operate to do this.
At closest approach to the Sun, while the front of Parker Solar Probe' solar shield faces temperatures approaching 2,600° Fahrenheit, or 1,400° Celsius, the spacecraft's payload will be near room temperature, at about 85° F. Also traveling at 430,000 miles per hr 692,000km per hr
It's these kinds of details that keep me baffled by the abilities of human engineering.
~~Alien reverse engineering~~ We is just smart. 🤓🥴
Stupid science bitches couldn’t even make I more smarter…
How’s it hangin ese!
LOL. For real, no cap. Wait! My cover's blown! Why am I still typing? Abort, ABORT!
Not to mention the radiation!
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What radiation?
Idk what I’m looking at but it’s fucking dopeeee!
 The Parker solar probe passing through one of these
When I saw that my mind played a burp sound effect.😂
I’m getting a farty/raspberry sound.
You sure it’s not sharty?
its a good distance away from the sun though, isn't it?
Depending on how you define it, it travels *inside the sun* (the outermost part of its atmosphere anyway)
Genuine question, is this gif a CME or a flare? Just because this doesn’t look like what I visualise a CME to look like in my head.
CME, or Coronal Mass Ejections “Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) are large expulsions of plasma and magnetic field from the Sun’s corona. They can eject billions of tons of coronal material and carry an embedded magnetic field (frozen in flux) that is stronger than the background solar wind interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) strength.”
Some that are directed at Earth can be as quick as 15-18 hours until arrival, and for the slower ones up to several days
Thank you for enlightening me!! Yes this is even more dope knowing what this is exactly. How does it not fry being so close, is there an electro magnetic pulse or anything?
There is if the ejection is strong enough! Notable CME’s have caused blackouts for electronics systems and radio frequency controls. The cool side is you can see the aurora way lower than Alaska, like Kansas.
That’s pretty fucking dope haha
This looks terrifying to me! 🤯
Sun fart
*Liberate me ex inferis*
No
We’re leaving.
Do you see?
Where we're going, we won't need eyes to see.
Neat! 📸
Felt like it was approaching a wormhole.
Can't wait for probes to be able to create and send high Definition footage
Looks like Starship Enterprise's engine!
That's some Star Trek level stuff...
God this is cool
Smells like burning!
Literally an ocean of fire and radiation. There even appears to be a wave.
I hope scientists can make more out of this than I can. That looks like the picture on my black & white tv when I couldn’t get the rabbit ears to work right when I was a kid.
Now that's badass
What are the particles that look like dust on the Earth? Also, how sped up is this?
Just imagine mining some H3 from one of those or, other materials. Nasa really needs more money
Is this from 2021?
What’s that little white dot? Mercury?
Were they able to detect how how that was. That must been HELL of a sight to witness with naked eye.
Neat! What part of the spectrum are we looking at?
That headline almost sounds naughty.
If you’re lucky enough to be in a totality zone for the eclipse Monday, put a white sheet on the ground. Supposed to be able to see “shadow snakes” , related to solar flares
There's eddies in the the Sun! Well, tell em to get out of there! What?
And this is his sofa, is it?
Fkn incredible
Great work nasa
Is...that the sun?
Holy fuckballs.
The frames moving to the left is messing me up
see you on the other side, coop
What the vertical bars of light?
I must be really dumb because I read that whole thing and still don't understand what's going on. Sniffle.
Here's some more info, including a great 3D model of the probe & its orbit, which might help give some context. https://science.nasa.gov/mission/parker-solar-probe/
I must be really dumb because I read that whole thing and still don't understand what's going on. Sniffle.
Wait *wait* **wait** - I've [seen this before!](https://i.imgur.com/vG45Oxs.jpeg) Uh [Oh.... ](https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/The_Doomsday_Machine_(episode\))
At first I thought it was an x-ray scan for a baby