Watch Mercury Get Smacked By CMEs

By jmajor - April 9, 2012 at 5:52 PM UTC | Solar Astronomy

The bright object in the center of this video sequence is the planet Mercury, seen by NASA's

STEREO-B

spacecraft as it was pummeled by wave after wave of solar material ejected from the Sun during the week of March 25 - April 2, 2012.

The video above was

released

by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center earlier today. The Sun is located just off-frame to the left, while Earth would be millions of miles to the right.

Proof that it's not easy being first rock from the Sun!

Video credit: NASA/GSFC/STEREO