A week of images from one of two STEREO Heliospheric Imagers on its 'Behind' spacecraft reveals at least half a dozen coronal mass ejections (CME's) blowing out from the Sun and heading into space (Mar. 25 - April 2, 2012). This imager is a wide-angle visible-light imaging system for the detection of CME events in interplanetary space and, in particular, of events directed towards the Earth. In this movie the Sun is just to the left of the field of view and the Earth would be millions of miles to the right. Mercury is the bright object moving from right to left against the background of stars near the center of the images. The Sun has been busy popping off solar storms like these as it approaches the maximum of its 11 year activity cycle. The period of peak activity is predicted to occur in about a year.

Credit: NASA/GSFC/STEREO

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NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission.

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