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Solar Physics Laboratory
Operational

Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO)

The Solar Dynamics Observatory will further our understanding of the sun's influence on Earth and near-Earth space by studying the solar atmosphere on small scales of space and time, and in many wavelengths simultaneously.

Launch Date

January 2010

Class

Flight Project

Websites


Key Staffs

The Solar Dynamics Observatory is the first mission to be launched for NASA's Living With a Star (LWS) Program, a program designed to understand the causes of solar variability and its impacts on Earth. SDO is designed to help us understand the Sun's influence on Earth and Near-Earth space by studying the solar atmosphere on small scales of space and time and in many wavelengths simultaneously.

Related Publications

2025. "Solar Eruption Onset and Particle Acceleration in Nested-null Topologies.", Astrophysical Journal, 994 180 [10.3847/1538-4357/ae0e65] [Journal Article/Letter]

2025. "Genesis of a Confined X6.4 Flare in a Quadrupolar Magnetic Configuration.", Astrophysical Journal, 992 139 [10.3847/1538-4357/ae0297] [Journal Article/Letter]

2025. "Solar Orbiter’s 2024 Major Flare Campaigns: An Overview.", Solar Physics, 300 (11): 152 [10.1007/s11207-025-02561-6] [Journal Article/Letter]

2025. "Strong Photospheric Heating Indicated by Fe i 6173 Å Line Emission during White-light Solar Flares.", The Astrophysical Journal, 988 (1): 74 [10.3847/1538-4357/addd1e] [Journal Article/Letter]

2025. "Fe xviii and Fe xx Forbidden Lines Observed by Solar Orbiter/SPICE.", The Astrophysical Journal, 986 (1): 64 [10.3847/1538-4357/add339] [Journal Article/Letter]