🌞 SDO Data Fetcher

A powerful Python application to fetch real-time solar images from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). Get the latest solar data in seconds with support for all AIA wavelengths and HMI instruments!

✨ Features

• 🔴 Live Data - Fetches the latest SDO observations (updated every 12 seconds!)
• 🌈 11 Wavelengths - All AIA channels (94Å - 1700Å) plus HMI magnetogram
• 📊 Auto Metadata - Each image includes JSON metadata with observation details
• ⚡ Fast & Reliable - Direct from NASA servers, downloads in 1-2 seconds
• 🎯 CLI & Python API - Use from command line or integrate into your code
• 📦 Batch Downloads - Get multiple wavelengths simultaneously
• 🔬 Space Weather Ready - Perfect for monitoring solar activity

🚀 Quick Start

Installation

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/ep150de/sdo-data-fetcher.git
cd sdo-data-fetcher

# Install dependencies
pip install -r requirements.txt

Basic Usage

# Get the latest AIA 171Å image (default)
python sdo_fetcher_v2.py

# Get a specific wavelength
python sdo_fetcher_v2.py --source AIA_304

# Download multiple wavelengths
python sdo_fetcher_v2.py --multiple

# List all available sources
python sdo_fetcher_v2.py --list

📡 Available Data Sources

Source	Wavelength	Temperature	Best For
AIA_94	94 Å	~6 MK	Hot flare plasma
AIA_131	131 Å	~10 MK	Flaring regions
AIA_171	171 Å	~0.6 MK	Quiet corona, coronal loops ⭐
AIA_193	193 Å	~1.5 MK	Active regions
AIA_211	211 Å	~2 MK	Active regions
AIA_304	304 Å	~0.05 MK	Prominences, filaments
AIA_335	335 Å	~2.5 MK	Active regions
AIA_1600	1600 Å	-	Upper photosphere
AIA_1700	1700 Å	-	Temperature minimum
HMI_Continuum	Visible	-	Solar surface
HMI_Magnetogram	-	-	Magnetic fields

💡 Usage Examples

Command Line

# Monitor solar activity
python sdo_fetcher_v2.py --source AIA_193

# Space weather check
python sdo_advanced_examples.py  # Choose option 3

# Download full comparison set
python sdo_advanced_examples.py  # Choose option 1

Python Code

from sdo_fetcher_v2 import SDOFetcher

# Initialize fetcher
fetcher = SDOFetcher(output_dir="solar_images")

# Download latest image
metadata = fetcher.get_latest_image_direct(source="AIA_171")

if metadata:
    print(f"Image saved: {metadata['filepath']}")
    print(f"Observation time: {metadata['last_modified']}")

# Download multiple wavelengths
sources = ["AIA_171", "AIA_193", "AIA_304", "HMI_Magnetogram"]
results = fetcher.download_multiple(sources)

🎓 Advanced Features

The sdo_advanced_examples.py script includes:

1. Multi-wavelength comparison sets - Download complementary wavelengths for analysis
2. Active region monitoring - Track solar flares and active regions
3. Space weather quick check - Rapid assessment tool
4. Prominence monitoring - Track eruptions and filaments
5. Continuous monitoring - Automated periodic downloads
6. Monitoring daemon generator - Create long-running monitoring scripts

python sdo_advanced_examples.py

📂 Output Structure

sdo_data/
├── SDO_AIA_171_20260206_123456.jpg    # Solar image
├── SDO_AIA_171_20260206_123456.json   # Metadata
├── SDO_AIA_304_20260206_123457.jpg
└── SDO_AIA_304_20260206_123457.json

Each JSON file contains:

• Source and wavelength information
• Exact observation timestamp
• Download metadata
• Direct image URL

🔬 About NASA's SDO

The Solar Dynamics Observatory is a NASA mission launched in February 2010 to study the Sun's atmosphere and magnetic activity. It provides:

• 🛰️ 24/7 observations from geosynchronous orbit
• 📸 4K images every 12 seconds in 10 wavelengths
• 🧲 Magnetic field measurements of the Sun's surface
• ☀️ Real-time space weather monitoring
• 📊 Over 20 million images captured since launch

Learn more at sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov

📖 Documentation

• SDO_GUIDE.md - Comprehensive guide with detailed examples
• QUICK_REFERENCE.txt - Quick command reference card
• NASA SDO Website - Official mission website
• Helioviewer.org - Interactive solar image viewer

🛠️ Requirements

• Python 3.7+
• requests library (installed via requirements.txt)

🤝 Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Feel free to:

• Report bugs
• Suggest new features
• Submit pull requests
• Improve documentation

📄 License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.

🌟 Acknowledgments

• NASA/SDO and the AIA, EVE, and HMI science teams for providing open access to solar data
• Helioviewer Project for API access and tools
• All solar physics researchers and space weather forecasters

🔗 Useful Links

• SDO Mission Overview
• Space Weather Prediction Center
• Solar Data Analysis Center
• Helioviewer API Docs

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Made with ☀️ for solar physics research, education, and space weather monitoring

If you find this tool useful, please ⭐ star this repository!