Stop animation with "ESC" key
Farside images computed from MDI sound travel time analysis
Earth-side images are magnetic flux observed by SOHO-MDI
These files are (were) updated daily.
MDI stopped taking data in 2011, the farside map project is continued with HMI data at
http://jsoc.stanford.edu/data/farside/
March 2006 Press Info
Farside Movie tool (Javascript)
Experimental Java movie tool
NEW - animation of most recent 10 days
Stop animation with "ESC" key
Image Lists Updated: Thu Jan 13 09:06:42 2011
| Most recent synoptic image 2011.01.11_00 | 
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MDI Farside Animation Tool (Javascript) |
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Farside Image Lists | 
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| Most recent synoptic without labels (2:1) | 
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Most recent North pole view | 
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Most recent South pole | 
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| GONG Farside | 
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SOHO SWAN Farside Obs | 
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Old version | 
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Links for recent images, descriptions of the data, and access to binary data can be found here.
These images are whole-Sun maps of magnetic regions. They show 360 degrees of longitude in the Carrington coordinate system normally used for locating features on the Sun. The map extent is from south pole to north pole in an equal area projection. The solar equator and each 30 degrees of latitude and each 60 degrees of longitude are marked. The width of the plots is 2.5 times the height. This makes the mapping conformal at about 27 degrees latitude. This is near the latitude of active regions in the first half of the cycle so active regions are not distorted during that time.
The Earthside, or near-side, data are smoothed magnetic flux as measured by MDI. The Earthside flux images are made from the nearest MDI magnetogram obtained in the 96-minute cadence magnetic field observing program. Each magnetogram takes only one minute to observe. When available (about half the time) 5-minute averaged magnetograms are used. The processing sequence is to first take absolute value of the observed field, second to re-map the magnetogram into longitude vs sine-latitude projection, third Smooth with a gaussian filter and resample to a 300 by 200 pixel grid. This mapping is "conformal" at 27 degrees. This means equal distances on the images in the North-South direction and in the East-West direction are equal distances on the Sun only near 27 degrees latitude.
The farside images are maps of wave speed variations with locations of faster wave speed shown darker. These darker regions indicate locations where there is an accumulation of magnetic field on the far surface. The method is certainly not noise free and produces noisier images when there is some data missing due to telemetry gaps or other causes. Using the original "2-skip" method the farside images can only be computed out to 45 degrees from the farside disk center as (un)seen from Earth. The improved method fills in the annular region between the 2-skip method and the limb with the "1,3-skip method". In both methods a sound wave packet takes four bounces from the surfact to the interior and back to the surface between when it is observed on the front side to when it is observed again on the front side after traveling through and around the Sun. A full 24-hours of MDI surface velocity data is used to compute each image.
A new whole-Sun map is computed for each 12 hours. The SOHO-MDI quicklook data is used in an automated procedure. The data is recomputed after a few days if more complete data is obtained by delayed transmission in the data processing system. Thus some noisy data gets replaced with better data after a few days lag.
The method for estimating far-side magnetic flux was developed by Lindsey and Braun of the Solar Physics Research Corp., Tucson Arizona. The method was described in NASA and ESA press releases in March 2000. Details are published in the journal Solar Physics vol 192. The 2-2 combined with the 1-3 method was first described in 2001 (Braun et al, ...). The present processing pipeline was developed in the summer 2005 by Kenny Oslund and Phil Scherrer (Stanford) with advice and participation from Charlie Lindsey, Doug Braun (CORA), Irene Gonzalez-Hernandez, and John Leibacher (NSO).
Five sample images here show the Sun over a span of 2 1/2 rotations (the Sun rotates once every 27 days) from 1 March 2001 to 24 April 2001. A very large active region known as AR9393 formed during this time. "Clicking" on any of these images will produce a view showing the selected image along with the images for 13.5 days before and 13.5 days later.
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1 March 2001.
Carrington map of magnetic flux (Earthside) and inferred flux (farside). Region 9393 will be at Carrington longitude 154 Latitude 17N. There is no sign of the large region on this date. |
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15 March 2001.
Map of magnetic flux (Earthside) and inferred flux (farside). Region 9393 was at longitude 154 Latitude 17N. The region was first detected on the farside on 12 March and could be seen to be large on the 13th. |
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28 March 2001.
Region 9393 was at longitude 154 Latitude 17N. The region contained the largest spot complex of the cycle (to date). |
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11 April 2001.
Region 9393 was still at longitude 154 Latitude 17N. The region continued to evolve as it rotated across the far side of the Sun. |
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24 April 2001.
Region 9393 at longitude 154 Latitude 17N. The region came back to the front-side of the Sun in late April. |
These images are computed for each 12 hours and are usually available
by noon (Pacific time) each day for the previous day. They can be
viewed in one very large scrollable page or in groups of two solar
rotations. They are also available collected as movies.
## NOT YET for new images ##
Farside Movie of March-April 2001 in
MPEG-1 or
Quicktime format.
Note that when you view this data as a movie or simply scroll
through the collected sets, the images of the Sun move from
right to left with time. This is because the maps are fixed in
the frame of the average rotation rate of the Sun but the part of
the Sun we can see from Earth moves as the Sun rotates.
Scrollable set of images of whole Sun in
Synoptic: one LONG, very SLOW loading page.
Scrollable set of images of North View of Sun in
North: one LONG, very SLOW loading page.
Scrollable set of images of South view of Sun in
South: one LONG, very SLOW loading page.
Separate pages of 2 rotations (54 days) for Carrington rotations.
Each image is a hot link to page with three images spaced half rotations apart. Those images are links
to allow examination of particular regions of interest.
Quality is indicated in the bar on the lower right side of the image. Green is good.
Red is poor. Amber is from quicklook data and may get better later.
The first run of the full-farside processing was done with 1440 minutes
per image. In order to obtain a more stable result the analysis is now done with
2048 minutes (34 hours). In some cases an older image is available while
a 2048 minute image is not possible. Images computed with 1440 minutes
have white quality indicators.
| Rotation 2105 - 2106 | Start 2010.12.24 | End 2011.02.16 |
| Rotation 2104 - 2105 | Start 2010.11.26 | End 2011.01.20 |
| Rotation 2103 - 2104 | Start 2010.10.30 | End 2010.12.24 |
| Rotation 2102 - 2103 | Start 2010.10.03 | End 2010.11.26 |
| Rotation 2101 - 2102 | Start 2010.09.05 | End 2010.10.30 |
| Rotation 2100 - 2101 | Start 2010.08.09 | End 2010.10.03 |
| Rotation 2099 - 2100 | Start 2010.07.13 | End 2010.09.05 |
| Rotation 2098 - 2099 | Start 2010.06.16 | End 2010.08.09 |
| Rotation 2097 - 2098 | Start 2010.05.19 | End 2010.07.13 |
| Rotation 2096 - 2097 | Start 2010.04.22 | End 2010.06.16 |
| Rotation 2095 - 2096 | Start 2010.03.26 | End 2010.05.19 |
| Rotation 2094 - 2095 | Start 2010.02.27 | End 2010.04.22 |
| Rotation 2093 - 2094 | Start 2010.01.30 | End 2010.03.26 |
| Rotation 2092 - 2093 | Start 2010.01.03 | End 2010.02.27 |
| Rotation 2091 - 2092 | Start 2009.12.07 | End 2010.01.30 |
| Rotation 2090 - 2091 | Start 2009.11.09 | End 2010.01.03 |
| Rotation 2089 - 2090 | Start 2009.10.13 | End 2009.12.07 |
| Rotation 2088 - 2089 | Start 2009.09.16 | End 2009.11.09 |
| Rotation 2087 - 2088 | Start 2009.08.20 | End 2009.10.13 |
| Rotation 2086 - 2087 | Start 2009.07.23 | End 2009.09.16 |
| Rotation 2085 - 2086 | Start 2009.06.26 | End 2009.08.20 |
| Rotation 2084 - 2085 | Start 2009.05.30 | End 2009.07.23 |
| Rotation 2083 - 2084 | Start 2009.05.03 | End 2009.06.26 |
| Rotation 2082 - 2083 | Start 2009.04.05 | End 2009.05.30 |
| Rotation 2081 - 2082 | Start 2009.03.09 | End 2009.05.03 |
| Rotation 2080 - 2081 | Start 2009.02.10 | End 2009.04.05 |
| Rotation 2079 - 2080 | Start 2009.01.13 | End 2009.03.09 |
| Rotation 2078 - 2079 | Start 2008.12.17 | End 2009.02.10 |
| Rotation 2077 - 2078 | Start 2008.11.20 | End 2009.01.13 |
| Rotation 2076 - 2077 | Start 2008.10.24 | End 2008.12.17 |
| Rotation 2075 - 2076 | Start 2008.09.26 | End 2008.11.20 |
| Rotation 2074 - 2075 | Start 2008.08.30 | End 2008.10.24 |
| Rotation 2073 - 2074 | Start 2008.08.03 | End 2008.09.26 |
| Rotation 2072 - 2073 | Start 2008.07.06 | End 2008.08.30 |
| Rotation 2071 - 2072 | Start 2008.06.09 | End 2008.08.03 |
| Rotation 2070 - 2071 | Start 2008.05.13 | End 2008.07.06 |
| Rotation 2069 - 2070 | Start 2008.04.16 | End 2008.06.09 |
| Rotation 2068 - 2069 | Start 2008.03.19 | End 2008.05.13 |
| Rotation 2067 - 2068 | Start 2008.02.21 | End 2008.04.16 |
| Rotation 2066 - 2067 | Start 2008.01.25 | End 2008.03.19 |
| Rotation 2065 - 2066 | Start 2007.12.29 | End 2008.02.21 |
| Rotation 2064 - 2065 | Start 2007.12.01 | End 2008.01.25 |
| Rotation 2063 - 2064 | Start 2007.11.04 | End 2007.12.29 |
| Rotation 2062 - 2063 | Start 2007.10.08 | End 2007.12.01 |
| Rotation 2061 - 2062 | Start 2007.09.10 | End 2007.11.04 |
| Rotation 2060 - 2061 | Start 2007.08.14 | End 2007.10.08 |
| Rotation 2059 - 2060 | Start 2007.07.18 | End 2007.09.10 |
| Rotation 2058 - 2059 | Start 2007.06.21 | End 2007.08.14 |
| Rotation 2057 - 2058 | Start 2007.05.24 | End 2007.07.18 |
| Rotation 2056 - 2057 | Start 2007.04.27 | End 2007.06.21 |
| Rotation 2055 - 2056 | Start 2007.03.31 | End 2007.05.24 |
| Rotation 2054 - 2055 | Start 2007.03.04 | End 2007.04.27 |
| Rotation 2053 - 2054 | Start 2007.02.04 | End 2007.03.31 |
| Rotation 2052 - 2053 | Start 2007.01.08 | End 2007.03.04 |
| Rotation 2051 - 2052 | Start 2006.12.12 | End 2007.02.04 |
| Rotation 2050 - 2051 | Start 2006.11.14 | End 2007.01.08 |
| Rotation 2049 - 2050 | Start 2006.10.18 | End 2006.12.12 |
| Rotation 2048 - 2049 | Start 2006.09.21 | End 2006.11.14 |
| Rotation 2047 - 2048 | Start 2006.08.25 | End 2006.10.18 |
| Rotation 2046 - 2047 | Start 2006.07.28 | End 2006.09.21 |
| Rotation 2045 - 2046 | Start 2006.07.01 | End 2006.08.25 |
| Rotation 2044 - 2045 | Start 2006.06.04 | End 2006.07.28 |
| Rotation 2043 - 2044 | Start 2006.05.08 | End 2006.07.01 |
| Rotation 2042 - 2043 | Start 2006.04.10 | End 2006.06.04 |
| Rotation 2041 - 2042 | Start 2006.03.14 | End 2006.05.08 |
| Rotation 2040 - 2041 | Start 2006.02.15 | End 2006.04.10 |
| Rotation 2039 - 2040 | Start 2006.01.18 | End 2006.03.14 |
| Rotation 2038 - 2039 | Start 2005.12.22 | End 2006.02.15 |
| Rotation 2037 - 2038 | Start 2005.11.25 | End 2006.01.18 |
| Rotation 2036 - 2037 | Start 2005.10.29 | End 2005.12.22 |
| Rotation 2035 - 2036 | Start 2005.10.01 | End 2005.11.25 |
| Rotation 2034 - 2035 | Start 2005.09.04 | End 2005.10.29 |
| Rotation 2033 - 2034 | Start 2005.08.08 | End 2005.10.01 |
| Rotation 2032 - 2033 | Start 2005.07.11 | End 2005.09.04 |
| Rotation 2031 - 2032 | Start 2005.06.14 | End 2005.08.08 |
| Rotation 2030 - 2031 | Start 2005.05.18 | End 2005.07.11 |
| Rotation 2029 - 2030 | Start 2005.04.21 | End 2005.06.14 |
| Rotation 2028 - 2029 | Start 2005.03.24 | End 2005.05.18 |
| Rotation 2027 - 2028 | Start 2005.02.25 | End 2005.04.21 |
| Rotation 2026 - 2027 | Start 2005.01.29 | End 2005.03.24 |
| Rotation 2025 - 2026 | Start 2005.01.02 | End 2005.02.25 |
| Rotation 2024 - 2025 | Start 2004.12.05 | End 2005.01.29 |
| Rotation 2023 - 2024 | Start 2004.11.08 | End 2005.01.02 |
| Rotation 2022 - 2023 | Start 2004.10.12 | End 2004.12.05 |
| Rotation 2021 - 2022 | Start 2004.09.14 | End 2004.11.08 |
| Rotation 2020 - 2021 | Start 2004.08.18 | End 2004.10.12 |
| Rotation 2019 - 2020 | Start 2004.07.22 | End 2004.09.14 |
| Rotation 2018 - 2019 | Start 2004.06.25 | End 2004.08.18 |
| Rotation 2017 - 2018 | Start 2004.05.28 | End 2004.07.22 |
| Rotation 2016 - 2017 | Start 2004.05.01 | End 2004.06.25 |
| Rotation 2015 - 2016 | Start 2004.04.04 | End 2004.05.28 |
| Rotation 2014 - 2015 | Start 2004.03.08 | End 2004.05.01 |
| Rotation 2013 - 2014 | Start 2004.02.09 | End 2004.04.04 |
| Rotation 2012 - 2013 | Start 2004.01.13 | End 2004.03.08 |
| Rotation 2011 - 2012 | Start 2003.12.17 | End 2004.02.09 |
| Rotation 2010 - 2011 | Start 2003.11.19 | End 2004.01.13 |
| Rotation 2009 - 2010 | Start 2003.10.23 | End 2003.12.17 |
| Rotation 2008 - 2009 | Start 2003.09.26 | End 2003.11.19 |
| Rotation 2007 - 2008 | Start 2003.08.30 | End 2003.10.23 |
| Rotation 2006 - 2007 | Start 2003.08.02 | End 2003.09.26 |
| Rotation 2005 - 2006 | Start 2003.07.06 | End 2003.08.30 |
| Rotation 2004 - 2005 | Start 2003.06.09 | End 2003.08.02 |
| Rotation 2003 - 2004 | Start 2003.05.13 | End 2003.07.06 |
| Rotation 2002 - 2003 | Start 2003.04.15 | End 2003.06.09 |
| Rotation 2001 - 2002 | Start 2003.03.19 | End 2003.05.13 |
| Rotation 2000 - 2001 | Start 2003.02.20 | End 2003.04.15 |
| Rotation 1999 - 2000 | Start 2003.01.23 | End 2003.03.19 |
| Rotation 1998 - 1999 | Start 2002.12.27 | End 2003.02.20 |
| Rotation 1997 - 1998 | Start 2002.11.30 | End 2003.01.23 |
| Rotation 1996 - 1997 | Start 2002.11.03 | End 2002.12.27 |
| Rotation 1995 - 1996 | Start 2002.10.06 | End 2002.11.30 |
| Rotation 1994 - 1995 | Start 2002.09.09 | End 2002.11.03 |
| Rotation 1993 - 1994 | Start 2002.08.13 | End 2002.10.06 |
| Rotation 1992 - 1993 | Start 2002.07.16 | End 2002.09.09 |
| Rotation 1991 - 1992 | Start 2002.06.19 | End 2002.08.13 |
| Rotation 1990 - 1991 | Start 2002.05.23 | End 2002.07.16 |
| Rotation 1989 - 1990 | Start 2002.04.26 | End 2002.06.19 |
| Rotation 1988 - 1989 | Start 2002.03.29 | End 2002.05.23 |
| Rotation 1987 - 1988 | Start 2002.03.02 | End 2002.04.26 |
| Rotation 1986 - 1987 | Start 2002.02.03 | End 2002.03.29 |
| Rotation 1985 - 1986 | Start 2002.01.07 | End 2002.03.02 |
| Rotation 1984 - 1985 | Start 2001.12.10 | End 2002.02.03 |
| Rotation 1983 - 1984 | Start 2001.11.13 | End 2002.01.07 |
| Rotation 1982 - 1983 | Start 2001.10.17 | End 2001.12.10 |
| Rotation 1981 - 1982 | Start 2001.09.19 | End 2001.11.13 |
| Rotation 1980 - 1981 | Start 2001.08.23 | End 2001.10.17 |
| Rotation 1979 - 1980 | Start 2001.07.27 | End 2001.09.19 |
| Rotation 1978 - 1979 | Start 2001.06.30 | End 2001.08.23 |
| Rotation 1977 - 1978 | Start 2001.06.02 | End 2001.07.27 |
| Rotation 1976 - 1977 | Start 2001.05.06 | End 2001.06.30 |
| Rotation 1975 - 1976 | Start 2001.04.09 | End 2001.06.02 |
| Rotation 1974 - 1975 | Start 2001.03.13 | End 2001.05.06 |
| Rotation 1973 - 1974 | Start 2001.02.13 | End 2001.04.09 |
| Rotation 1972 - 1973 | Start 2001.01.17 | End 2001.03.13 |
| Rotation 1971 - 1972 | Start 2000.12.21 | End 2001.02.13 |
| Rotation 1970 - 1971 | Start 2000.11.23 | End 2001.01.17 |
| Rotation 1969 - 1970 | Start 2000.10.27 | End 2000.12.21 |
| Rotation 1968 - 1969 | Start 2000.09.30 | End 2000.11.23 |
| Rotation 1967 - 1968 | Start 2000.09.03 | End 2000.10.27 |
| Rotation 1966 - 1967 | Start 2000.08.06 | End 2000.09.30 |
| Rotation 1965 - 1966 | Start 2000.07.10 | End 2000.09.03 |
| Rotation 1964 - 1965 | Start 2000.06.13 | End 2000.08.06 |
| Rotation 1963 - 1964 | Start 2000.05.17 | End 2000.07.10 |
| Rotation 1962 - 1963 | Start 2000.04.19 | End 2000.06.13 |
| Rotation 1961 - 1962 | Start 2000.03.23 | End 2000.05.17 |
| Rotation 1960 - 1961 | Start 2000.02.25 | End 2000.04.19 |
| Rotation 1959 - 1960 | Start 2000.01.28 | End 2000.03.23 |
| Rotation 1958 - 1959 | Start 2000.01.01 | End 2000.02.25 |
| Rotation 1957 - 1958 | Start 1999.12.05 | End 2000.01.28 |
| Rotation 1956 - 1957 | Start 1999.11.08 | End 2000.01.01 |
| Rotation 1955 - 1956 | Start 1999.10.11 | End 1999.12.05 |
| Rotation 1954 - 1955 | Start 1999.09.14 | End 1999.11.08 |
| Rotation 1953 - 1954 | Start 1999.08.18 | End 1999.10.11 |
| Rotation 1952 - 1953 | Start 1999.07.21 | End 1999.09.14 |
| Rotation 1951 - 1952 | Start 1999.06.24 | End 1999.08.18 |
| Rotation 1950 - 1951 | Start 1999.05.28 | End 1999.07.21 |
| Rotation 1949 - 1950 | Start 1999.05.01 | End 1999.06.24 |
| Rotation 1948 - 1949 | Start 1999.04.03 | End 1999.05.28 |
| Rotation 1947 - 1948 | Start 1999.03.07 | End 1999.05.01 |
| Rotation 1946 - 1947 | Start 1999.02.08 | End 1999.04.03 |
| Rotation 1945 - 1946 | Start 1999.01.12 | End 1999.03.07 |
| Rotation 1944 - 1945 | Start 1998.12.15 | End 1999.02.08 |
| Rotation 1937 - 1938 | Start 1998.06.07 | End 1998.08.01 |
| Rotation 1936 - 1937 | Start 1998.05.11 | End 1998.07.05 |
| Rotation 1935 - 1936 | Start 1998.04.14 | End 1998.06.07 |
| Rotation 1934 - 1935 | Start 1998.03.18 | End 1998.05.11 |
| Rotation 1933 - 1934 | Start 1998.02.18 | End 1998.04.14 |
| Rotation 1932 - 1933 | Start 1998.01.22 | End 1998.03.18 |
| Rotation 1931 - 1932 | Start 1997.12.26 | End 1998.02.18 |
| Rotation 1930 - 1931 | Start 1997.11.28 | End 1998.01.22 |
| Rotation 1929 - 1930 | Start 1997.11.01 | End 1997.12.26 |
| Rotation 1928 - 1929 | Start 1997.10.05 | End 1997.11.28 |
| Rotation 1927 - 1928 | Start 1997.09.08 | End 1997.11.01 |
| Rotation 1926 - 1927 | Start 1997.08.11 | End 1997.10.05 |
| Rotation 1925 - 1926 | Start 1997.07.15 | End 1997.09.08 |
| Rotation 1924 - 1925 | Start 1997.06.18 | End 1997.08.11 |
| Rotation 1923 - 1924 | Start 1997.05.22 | End 1997.07.15 |
| Rotation 1922 - 1923 | Start 1997.04.24 | End 1997.06.18 |
| Rotation 1921 - 1922 | Start 1997.03.28 | End 1997.05.22 |
| Rotation 1920 - 1921 | Start 1997.03.01 | End 1997.04.24 |
| Rotation 1919 - 1920 | Start 1997.02.01 | End 1997.03.28 |
| Rotation 1918 - 1919 | Start 1997.01.05 | End 1997.03.01 |
| Rotation 1917 - 1918 | Start 1996.12.09 | End 1997.02.01 |
| Rotation 1916 - 1917 | Start 1996.11.12 | End 1997.01.05 |
| Rotation 1915 - 1916 | Start 1996.10.15 | End 1996.12.09 |
| Rotation 1914 - 1915 | Start 1996.09.18 | End 1996.11.12 |
| Rotation 1913 - 1914 | Start 1996.08.22 | End 1996.10.15 |
| Rotation 1912 - 1913 | Start 1996.07.25 | End 1996.09.18 |
| Rotation 1911 - 1912 | Start 1996.06.28 | End 1996.08.22 |
| Rotation 1910 - 1911 | Start 1996.06.01 | End 1996.07.25 |
| Rotation 1909 - 1910 | Start 1996.05.05 | End 1996.06.28 |
| Rotation 1908 - 1909 | Start 1996.04.07 | End 1996.06.01 |
| Rotation 1907 - 1908 | Start 1996.03.11 | End 1996.05.05 |