The Odd Couple (June 7, 2013)

Hi-res TIF (1.7M)

Movies: QT: Large ( 21M), Small (1.3M), MPEG: Large ( 13M), Small (6.5M) MP4 (4.3M)

This composite movie shows two good-sized (and very different) coronal mass ejections (CMEs) blasting into space in less than a day (June 5-6, 2013). The first presents an expanding, bulbous front off to the left that looks a lot like a light-bulb, which in a wry sense it is! The second CME presents an irregular wedge of particles moving downwards.

The two coronagraphs, C2 (red) and C3 (blue), from SOHO are combined together. The Sun, observed by SDO, is shown in extreme UV light and superimposed on the occulting disks of the coronagraphs. The elongated black area angled to the upper right is the arm that holds the occulting disk in front of the telescope to block out the Sun.

SOHO began its Weekly Pick some time after sending a weekly image or video clip to the American Museum of Natural History (Rose Center) in New York City. There, the SOHO Weekly Pick is displayed with some annotations on a large plasma display.

If your institution would also like to receive the same Weekly Pick from us for display (usually in Photoshop or QuickTime format), please send your inquiry to steele.hill@gsfc.nasa.gov.