Until today , NASA was only able to directly regard the Earth - facing side ofthe Sun . We could seesolar stormsas they happen , but not necessarily as they explicate . Now , thanks to STEREO , we can see all sides simultaneously .
Our limited view was due to the fact that the Sun ’s some 27 - day rotation hid the far side from our current crop of observational instruments , like the Solar Dynamics Observatory , or SDO . The SDO and its comrade theMichelson Doppler Imager , while invaluable , can only give rise a reconstruction of the activity on the far side of the Sun .
In a technologically - dependent earth such as ours , this circumscribed view was dangerous . Solar storms and coronal mass ejection , commonplace in our solar system , could easily build up on the unmonitored far side of the Sun before launch toward Earth to knock out our satellites and on - humankind electronics . We could be , and have been , caught incognizant .
To better ready for these storm , NASA launch STEREO in 2006 . Short for the Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory , this pair of spacecraft follows Earth ’s orbit — one onwards and one behind — to volunteer unprecedented views of our life - giving Sun . As of today , they ’ve finally reach a point along our ambit that yield a full 360 - degree view of the Sun :
The current mission will continue for another eight years before STEREO A and B electrical switch places on the far side of the Sun , and begin again . [ NASA – Thanks , Alex ]
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