OMG THE SUN'S GONNA KILL US ALL!

This is a picture of the sun's most violent eruption in 15 years (possibly because that comet didn't agree with him), which happened just a few days ago on April 12th and 13th. Amazingly, we all didn't die. Well at least I didn't, I haven't actually left the apartment since Monday. Hello? Is anybody out there? HELLO?!

The STEREO (Ahead) spacecraft caught this spectacular eruptive prominence in extreme UV light as it blasted away from the Sun (Apr. 12-13, 2010). This was certainly among the largest prominence eruptions seen by either the STEREO or SOHO missions. The length of the prominence appears to stretch almost halfway across the sun, about 500,000 miles. Prominences are cooler clouds of plasma that hover above the Sun's surface, tethered by magnetic forces. They are notoriously unstable and commonly erupt as this one did in a dramatic fashion.

There's a worthwhile video of the eruption after the jump, but I don't recommend watching it if you're the least bit worried about the end of the world because you'll probably flip your shit and end up running down the middle of the street naked screaming about how the sky is falling. So, yeah, if you're gonna do that I don't want you watching it. I want you watching it twice. Do it! DO IT NOW, SISSY!

Hit it for the video action.

NASA's Flickr
via
The Most Spectacular Sun View to Date [gizmodo]

• Why So Blue?: The Sun Gettin' His Swerve On

  February 8, 2011

  Note: Worthwhile larger version HERE. This is an animated gif that makes the sun appear 3-D. Also, blue. While interesting, what's even more interesting is the UFO that keeps blinking in the bottom right corner. I suspect they're siphoning off our sun's energy like I do my ... / Continue →
• Bad Printer!: I Always Knew They Were Evil

  May 17, 2010

  Listen printer: if you even think about initiating a robot uprising I'll pull your plug and beat you with the cord so badly you'll wish you never learned to collate. Stop laughing, fax machine -- I'll paper jam your ass till you're drunk-dialing sex lines begging for mercy. P... / Continue →
• Pandemonium!: Six Months Of Solar Paths Recorded On A Single Piece Of Film

  April 13, 2010

  Mr. Mallon used a pinhole camera sitting in his backyard to record the sun's path from June to December of last year. This is the resulting image (in negative form). Looks like, uh, I don't know what it looks like. BESIDES THE MUTHERF***ING MATRIX! You'll never take me aliv... / Continue →