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This image is a full-disk view of the X-ray Sun and was produced by the Yohkoh solar observatory in 1991. The structures that can be seen consist of large and hot (>2MK) coronal magnetic structures. This particular image, one of millions, shows a quite active corona from near the maximum of the solar cycle. At the upper right (solar northwest) one can see an “X-ray jet”) squirting outwards – this was one of Yohkoh’s original discoveries.
Today I watched a number of online videos about the End of the World 2012. They tend to be emotionally gripping. Scary.
Because of the sophistication of their special effects, they appear to be factual. I wonder if these online movie-makers obtain some of their images from NASA.
I used to work at NASA under contract as a photojournalist. The photographic images I took for NASA could NOT be copyrighted. Here’s an excerpt from the NASA website describing use of “Still Images, Audio Recordings, Video, and Related Computer Files:”
NASA still images; audio files; video; and computer files used in the rendition of 3-dimensional models, such as texture maps and polygon data in any format, generally are not copyrighted. You may use NASA imagery, video, audio, and data files used for the rendition of 3-dimensional models for educational or informational purposes, including photo collections, textbooks, public exhibits, computer graphical simulations and Internet Web pages. This general permission extends to personal Web pages.
Using NASA Imagery and Linking to NASA Web Sites
The online NASA article goes on to say that NASA needs to be acknowledged as the source of the image or video, except in the case of advertising. In commercial or advertising uses, the article says that use of these images or videos “must not explicitly or implicitly convey NASA’s endorsement of commercial goods or services.”
I don’t know where these scary End of the World 2012 videos are getting their special effects videos, but they could come from the vast store of public domain images from NASA.
For example, I saw End of the World 2012 videos about solar flares as if it was absolutely certain that during the solar maximum of 2012 (now extended to 2013), all electrical activity, including the infrastructure of the modern world–our water pumps, our lights, our gas pumps to fuel our cars–everything–would be rendered destroyed by this imminent solar flare.
To back up this assertion, the video used fantastic images of solar flares, similar to the image in this blog post of the “X-ray Sun.” This image was taken during a solar maximum of the sun’s 11 year sunspot cycle. These 11-year cycles have been going on forever but were first discovered in 1905.
The reality is that this image was taken in 1991. We have survived for 21 years after this solar event. When images like these are used to frighten people for an emotional effect in a video, the fictional narration can make it sound as if the video is happening right now. But who knows when the actual image was taken.
Yes, the sun definitely looks very scary in the photo. But, the sun is scary. It is a raging gigantic hydrogen fire as are many stars. This is what the sun looks like as observed at the Yohkoh solar observatory through very specialized scientific instruments.
My suggestion is to remember that these scary videos with scary images may be using images that were originally made to explain natural phenomenon.
Carol Chapman, director/producter of the End of the World 2012 Movie, Book, and EBook.
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