NASA captured images of a giant tornado of plasma spinning on the surface of the sun.
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And it's absolutely fascinating!
According to NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory:
A small, but complex mass of plasma gyrated and spun about over the course of 40 hours above the surface of the Sun (Sept. 1-3, 2015). It was stretched and pulled back and forth by powerful magnetic forces but not ripped apart in this sequence. The temperature of the ionized iron particles observed in this extreme ultraviolet wavelength of light was about 2.8 million degrees C. (or 5 million degrees F.) -
Credit: Solar Dynamics Observatory, NASA.
5 million degrees Fahrenheit! What's more amazing? The tornado in the photo is the size of Earth!
Other interesting facts about Solar Tornadoes:
1) These Solar Tornadoes can spin at up to 10,000 miles per hour!
2) 11,000 Solar Tornadoes can be spinning on the sun's surface at any given time.
3) Solar Tornadoes were first discovered by researchers back in 2012.
4) Solar Tornadoes are not a threat to Earth.
Watch this fascinating NASA Video:
(H/T Anthony Watts)
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