Giant strands of plasma several times the size of earth danced on the surface of the sun in a spectacular solar show. The beautiful display was captured by a NASA camera capable of filming the intense light emitted by the star.
The 40-second video consists of a series of images captured over a 22-hour period between May 2 and 3. Magnetic forces pulled at the strands, turning them into twisting lines that stretched across the surface of the sun.
NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory used a camera which isolates ultraviolet light to capture the mesmerizing show. Despite being several times the size of the earth, according to NASA, the strands are not expected to cause any havoc elsewhere in the solar system.
In 2014, powerful blasts from the sun struck the earth in a solar storm, causing minor disruption to power grids, satellites and radio communications.
Next year, NASA plans to launch the Solar Probe Plus (SPP), a spacecraft that will fly closer to the sun than ever before.