NASA Releasing First Views Of The Entire Sun On Super Sun-Day

WASHINGTON -- NASA will score big on super SUN-day at 11 a.m. EST,
Sunday, Feb. 6, with the release online of the first complete view of
the sun's entire surface and atmosphere.

Seeing the whole sun front and back simultaneously will enable
significant advances in space weather forecasting for Earth, and
improve planning for future robotic or crewed spacecraft missions
throughout the solar system.

These views are the result of observations by NASA's two Solar
TErrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO) spacecraft. The duo are on
diametrically opposite sides of the sun, 180 degrees apart. One is
ahead of Earth in its orbit, the other trailing behind.

Launched in October 2006, STEREO traces the flow of energy and matter
from the sun to Earth. It also provides unique and revolutionary
views of the sun-Earth system. The mission observed the sun in 3-D
for the first time in 2007. In 2009, the twin spacecraft revealed the
3-D structure of coronal mass ejections which are violent eruptions
of matter from the sun that can disrupt communications, navigation,
satellites and power grids on Earth.

STEREO is the third mission in NASA's Solar Terrestrial Probes program
within the agency's Science Mission Directorate in Washington. NASA's
Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., manages the mission,
instruments and science center.

The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel,
Md., designed and built the spacecraft and is responsible for mission
operations.

The STEREO imaging and particle detecting instruments were designed
and built by scientific institutions in the U.S., UK, France,
Germany, Belgium, Netherlands and Switzerland.

To view the image with supporting visuals and information, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/stereo

For information about NASA and other agency programs, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov

Source: NASA

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