Nasa's Solar Dynamics Observatory Pictures Lunar Transit In Amazing Detail

[marcus300]

Nasa's Solar Dynamics Observatory is a telescope about the size of a truck which is in orbit around the Earth, 22,000 miles above the planet.

Pointed directly at the Sun, its 10 year mission is to observe our star, and help us learn about its weather, its composition and its life cycle.



Above: SDO's view of a Lunar transit.

And also to take really, really beautiful pictures.

The latest stunning images captured the moment that the Moon and Earth pass in front of the SDO, relative to Earth:

Nasa says that twice a year for about three weeks the Earth blocks its view of the Sun once a day. The Moon also blocks its view occasionally, giving it a chance to take some unique photographs.

The new pictures show an Earth transit on 11 March and a Lunar transit later that day.






Nasa explains:

"When Earth blocks the sun, the boundaries of Earth’s shadow appear fuzzy, since SDO can see some light from the sun coming through Earth’s atmosphere. The line of Earth appears almost straight, since Earth -- from SDO’s point of view -- is so large compared to the sun.
The eclipse caused by the moon looks far different. Since the moon has no atmosphere, its curved shape can be seen clearly, and the line of its shadow is crisp and clean."


more pics at

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013...ncid=webmail11

[lovbyts]

We tend to forget how small we really are most of the time.
Impressive picture.

[Times Roman]

the sun is a million times larger than the earth.

the sun is only a thousand times larger than jupitor

jupiter emits more energy than it absorbs

if jupiter were only slightly larger, it would have ignited and became a brown dwarf star.

[marcus300]

the sun is a million times larger than the earth.

the sun is only a thousand times larger than jupitor

jupiter emits more energy than it absorbs

if jupiter were only slightly larger, it would have ignited and became a brown dwarf star.

Its that true and if so how do you know that??

Space and the Universe is amazing when you start thinking about it

[Times Roman]

Its that true and if so how do you know that??

Space and the Universe is amazing when you start thinking about it

i shouldn't have used the term "slightly". it would have to be 50x larger to be massive enough to ingnite a thermonuclear reaction at it's core.....

http://starryskies.com/articles/dln/...iter.star.html

[Times Roman]

Its that true and if so how do you know that??

Space and the Universe is amazing when you start thinking about it

and i know this stuff because this stuff fascinates me. I learned abouut Jupiter in the sixth grade - that's back in the sixties for those with not enough toes and fingers....