NASA Sun VIDEO Shows Three-Year Time-Lapse From Solar Dynamics Observatory Images

Do you and the sun have some catching up to do?

NASA has released a three-year time-lapse video of our star, compiled from incredible images captured by the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) spacecraft.

The time-lapse compresses about two images a day into a few minutes. And don't miss these highlights in the video above (time-marked by NASA): a partial eclipse by the moon at 0:30, a flare at 1:11, and the brief appearance of comet Lovejoy at 1:28.

NASA's SDO has filmed the sun since spring 2010, providing breathtaking images. So think of this latest video as a "best of" reel, complete with stirring background music.

But NASA notes that SDO's mission goes way beyond the aesthetic. The SDO helps researchers make sense of the volatile space weather that blasts radiation and solar material toward Earth. Ultimately, the research may help scientists predict those moments.

Last weekend alone, the SDO recorded three coronal mass ejections -- explosions that drove billions of tons of solar particles toward our planet. These events can interfere with communications and electronics under certain conditions.

(Hat tip, MSN)