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Solar Flare in 3-DA 3-D image of an active sun shows sunspots and "wonderful active regions in exquisite detail," according to NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory. (See where you can get 3-D glasses to better appreciate this image.) A powerful sun storm—associated with the second biggest solar flare of the current 11-year sun cycle—hit Earth last week.Despite warnings of possible GPS, communications, and power failures, Thursday's sun storm was a softy, scientists say.(Also see "Solar Flare: What If Biggest Known Sun Storm Hit Today?")
Image courtesy SDO/NASA

Space Pictures This Week: 3-D Sun Storm, Mars Devil

See a Martian dust devil, a solar storm in 3-D, and a "surreal" desert in some of our favorite space pictures of last week.

March 13, 2012