Ultraviolet Sun Desktop Globe 6” (ONLINE ORDER ONLY)

Explore the Sun with this stunning 6" globe that features the outer atmosphere in three different ultraviolet wavelengths.

This globe uses images of the Sun that feature the more active corona, captured at ultraviolet wavelengths the human eye cannot see.  This provides a unique view of the Sun and highlights the dynamic, active nature of our star. The images for our globe are composites of data taken at three different ultraviolet wavelengths that are represented by shades of red, green, and blue.

Due to its ever-changing nature, there are no permanent or labeled features on the Sun.  SDO, NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory, takes images of our star many times each day, capturing transient phenomena including sunspots, prominences, flares, coronal loops, and much more.  Different types of activity take place in different regions of the Sun, so each wavelength shows researchers where and how certain processes may be occurring.

From its vantage point in Earth's orbit, SDO can only view one hemisphere of the Sun at a time.  So, to create a globe showing the Sun's two hemispheres at the same time, we combined two images taken on subsequent days - April 7 and April 8, 2022 - to approximate the simultaneous appearance of both sides of the Sun.

This richly detailed, injection-molded 6" desktop globe is made of long-lasting durable plastic with just a single seam between hemispheres and comes with a clear acrylic display base and informational flyer.  The base doubles as a magnifying glass.