The Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) satellite keeps 12 instruments, including cameras trained on the sun. You can log onto the website [link] and look at some incredible images or, even better, movies of the sun's surface.

I propose having a spherical light fitting in the center of a room at home which is wirelessly connected to your home's wi-fi connection. Inside the fitting is a projector which displays live images of the sun's surface beamed direct from SOHO.

For a nominal monthly fee to NASA you could keep an eye on the spaceweather and watch swirling vortexes/vortices, spectacular ribbons of fire produced by solar eruptions, count sunspots and so on. Oh yeah - and it produces light for the room too.
-- AusCan531, Sep 05 2011

NASA SOHO Observatory http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/home.html
[AusCan531, Sep 05 2011]

Webcam_20on_20the_20Moon Tangentially related idea [hippo, Sep 05 2011]

I like your linked idea too [hippo]. We should come up with a nightlight based upon a live image of the phases of the moon and we'll have the box set.
-- AusCan531, Sep 05 2011



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