A flare erupts from the sun’s surface on March 30, in one of the first images sent back by NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory. Launched in February, SDO is the most advanced spacecraft ever designed to study the sun. SDO provides solar images with clarity 10 times better than high-definition television. The probe has been sending back unreal images with ultimate clarity and helping us understand what is actually going on with the sun.

The ring of fire from our sun.

Image Soloar Dynamics Observatory / NASA via EPA