These images are from the EIT instrument - the Extreme ultraviolet Imaging Telescope.

The EIT can produce images of the solar atmosphere at several wavelengths, and therefore shows solar material at different temperatures. In the images taken at 304 Angstroms the bright material is at 60,000 to 80,000 degrees Kelvin. In those taken at 171, at 1 million degrees. 195 Angstrom images correspond to about 1.5 million Kelvin. 284 Angstrom, to 2 million degrees. The hotter the temperature, the higher you look in the solar atmosphere.

These images are all at 304 Angstroms.

This image helps to give an idea of the relative sizes of the Sun and the Earth.

For more details, go to http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/data/realtime-update.html

See images from the LASCO C3 instrument

Many thanks to LDAS member Andrew Tsigarides for highlighting this event.

If you are interested in arranging for a session on astronomy at your school - including the opportunity to use a solar telescope - please contact our chairman as shown below.