Huge Triangle-shaped Spot Over the Sun

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Huge Triangle-shaped Spot Over the Sun

Posted by Unknown on Wednesday March 14, 2012 @02:31AM from the elaborate-advertising-campaign-for-new-x-files-movie dept.

jojo_it writes "NASA Solar Dynamics Observatory photographed a gigantic spot on the sun's corona, that takes the shape of a black triangle. The spot is visible on the AIA 193 channel [of NASA's solar dynamics observatory] since March 11th. 2012 doomsday-theorists should be delighted."

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Oh So That's Why NASA Has Little Funding by eldavojohn · 2012-03-14 02:37 · Score: 5, Informative

The NASA video constantly reiterates that it's a 'common event' while trying to make it still sound cool even telling you about coronal cavities and filaments. The Register, with complete disregard for knowledge, skips this part and goes straight to alien's fueling up on the sun, Death Star references, etc. Slashdot blows all of that away, changes it from spherical to triangle (not sure where that came from) and clings to doomsday theories.

Everyone profits but NASA. Just like the History Channel, sacrifice your integrity for aliens and conspiracies to maximize profit.

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1. Re:Oh So That's Why NASA Has Little Funding by efudddd · 2012-03-14 02:53 · Score: 4, Informative
  
  The first link (filament/coronal sphere event) is apparently a wrong link and not what the poster is referring to. Try the second link for a flat photo, third link for the SDO interactive camera page. I tried the AIA settings; it shows up in a lot of them. This may be a "standard" event (I have no clue one way or the other), but it's monstrously large; I'd love an explanation or link to similar solar event if it's not totally anomalous.
2. Re:Oh So That's Why NASA Has Little Funding by mwvdlee · 2012-03-14 03:12 · Score: 3, Informative
  
  I know it's not cool to RTFA, but the Register page basically says as much if you read on long enough.
  
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Worst article summary ever by Anonymous Coward · 2012-03-14 02:37 · Score: 3, Informative

Slashdot seems to think the following is news worthy: The sun does things scientists know about and understand; ignorant people don't and jump to conclusions. Your increasingly sensational headlines make me hate you more and more every day slashdot.
Not a Triangle. by gbr · 2012-03-14 02:38 · Score: 5, Informative

If it's a triangle, why does the video show and discuss a circular object with a 'tether' to the sun?
Better video of the "triangle". by hellop2 · 2012-03-14 02:42 · Score: 4, Informative

There's a much higher quality video here.

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Re:My god!!! by Missing.Matter · 2012-03-14 02:48 · Score: 4, Informative

Mayan pyramids were stepped.
To see it, try this by scottbomb · 2012-03-14 03:53 · Score: 4, Informative

Using the links in the parent post, I didn't see it either. But I think the image they're talking about can be found here:
1. Go to http://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/
2. You'll see an image of the sun in a box on the left.
3. There's a drop-down menu in the box. Select AIA-193.
4. View the apocalypse.
OR... just go here: http://umbra.nascom.nasa.gov/images/latest_aia_211.gif
Re:My god!!! by QuantumLeaper · 2012-03-14 05:13 · Score: 2, Informative

Sorry, it nothing special, just a coronal filament, very common. It is explained here... http://youtu.be/82l46fpd-ic