🌞 NASA Solar Image Downloader

A comprehensive Python application for downloading, viewing, and analyzing solar images from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). Features multiple interfaces including web-based Gradio interfaces, video creation capabilities, and real-time solar wind data analysis.

Video tutorial, https://youtu.be/sMNstj4-Rl8?si=xW7LcV4NqDrc1BuT

✨ Features

🖥️ Multiple Interface Options

• Web Interface (Gradio): Modern web-based interface with full functionality
• GUI Interface: Traditional desktop application with tkinter
• Command Line: Batch processing and automation scripts

📥 Image Management

• Download solar images from NASA SDO in multiple wavelengths (94Å, 131Å, 171Å, 193Å, 211Å, 304Å, 335Å, 1600Å, 1700Å)
• Support for composite filters (multi-wavelength combinations)
• Multiple resolution options (1024px, 2048px, 4096px)
• Automatic file organization by date and filter
• Corrupted file detection and cleanup

🎬 Video Creation

• Create time-lapse MP4 videos from image sequences
• FFmpeg and OpenCV support for video encoding
• Web-compatible video formats
• Customizable frame rates and quality settings

🌬️ Solar Wind Analysis

• Real-time solar wind data from NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center
• Interactive Plotly visualizations
• Multiple analysis types: time series, correlation, distribution, statistical
• Geomagnetic storm detection and alerts
• Temperature, density, speed, and magnetic field monitoring

🎮 Image Viewer

• Interactive image playback with navigation controls
• Variable speed playback (0.5 - 240 FPS)
• Date range filtering and selection
• Full-screen viewing capabilities

🚀 Quick Start

Prerequisites

• Python 3.8 or higher
• pip (Python package installer)
• Optional: FFmpeg for enhanced video creation

Installation

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/AK51/SolarImageDownloader.git
   cd SolarImageDownloader

2. Create a virtual environment (recommended):

   python -m venv .venv
   # On Windows:
   .venv\Scripts\activate
   # On macOS/Linux:source .venv/bin/activate

3. Install dependencies:

   # For full functionality (recommended):
   pip install -r requirements_gradio.txt
   # For minimal installation:
   pip install -r requirements_minimal.txt
   # For basic functionality:
   pip install -r requirements.txt

4. Optional: Install FFmpeg for enhanced video creation:

   • Windows: Download from ffmpeg.org and add to PATH
   • macOS: brew install ffmpeg
   • Ubuntu/Debian: sudo apt install ffmpeg

🎯 Usage

Python project

python launch_gui.py

• Features: Traditional desktop interface
• Best for: Users who prefer desktop applications

Web Interface (Recommended)

Option 1: Main Web Application (app.py)

python app.py

• URL: http://127.0.0.1:7860
• Features: Complete web interface with all functionality
• Best for: General use, full feature access

Option 2: Alternative Web Interface (gradio_app.py)

python gradio_app.py

• URL: http://127.0.0.1:7862
• Features: Alternative implementation with same functionality
• Best for: Development, testing, or if main app has issues

📁 Project Structure

nasa-solar-downloader/
├── 📄 app.py # Main web application
├── 📄 gradio_app.py # Alternative web interface
├── 📄 launch_web.py # Web launcher with auto-setup
├── 📄 launch_gui.py # GUI launcher
├── 📄 main.py # Core application entry point
├── 📁 src/ # Source code modules
│ ├── 📁 downloader/ # Download functionality
│ ├── 📁 storage/ # File management
│ ├── 📁 scheduler/ # Task scheduling
│ └── 📁 ui/ # User interface components
├── 📁 data/ # Downloaded images (auto-created)
├── 📁 video/ # Created videos (auto-created)
├── 📁 temp_videos/ # Temporary video files (auto-created)
├── 📁 tests/ # Test files
├── 📄 requirements*.txt # Dependency files
└── 📄 README.md # This file

🌞 Solar Filter Guide

Filter	Wavelength	Description	Best For
94Å	94 Angstrom	Hot plasma	Flaring regions
131Å	131 Angstrom	Flaring regions	Solar flares
171Å	171 Angstrom	Quiet corona	Coronal loops
193Å	193 Angstrom	Coronal loops	Corona structure
211Å	211 Angstrom	Active regions	Solar activity
304Å	304 Angstrom	Chromosphere	Surface features
335Å	335 Angstrom	Active cores	Hot regions
1600Å	1600 Angstrom	Transition region	UV emissions
1700Å	1700 Angstrom	Temperature minimum	Surface detail

Composite Filters

• 094+335+193: Multi-temperature view
• 304+211+171: Full atmosphere view
• 211+193+171: Active region focus

🌬️ Solar Wind Features

Real-Time Data

• Magnetic Field: Bx, By, Bz components and total field strength
• Plasma Parameters: Solar wind speed and proton density
• Temperature: Calculated proton temperature
• Geomagnetic Status: Storm condition alerts

Visualization Types

• Time Series: Historical data trends
• Correlation: Parameter relationships
• Distribution: Statistical distributions
• Statistical: Summary statistics and box plots

Data Sources

• NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center
• Real-time solar wind magnetic field data
• Real-time solar wind plasma data

🎬 Video Creation

Supported Formats

• Output: MP4 (H.264 encoded)
• Quality: Web-optimized with fast-start
• Frame Rates: 1-120 FPS
• Resolutions: 1024px, 2048px, 4096px

Creation Methods

1. FFmpeg (preferred): High-quality, web-optimized
2. OpenCV (fallback): Compatible alternative

Video Features

• Automatic filename generation with date ranges
• Progress tracking during creation
• Web-compatible encoding
• Automatic video player integration

🔧 Configuration

Custom Keywords

Customize search keywords for each solar filter in the Settings tab:

• Modify filter search terms
• Reset to defaults
• Apply custom naming conventions

Data Management

• Cleanup: Remove corrupted files automatically
• Organization: Automatic date-based folder structure
• Storage: Configurable data directory location

🐛 Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Video Playback Problems

• Solution: Videos are automatically copied to temp_videos/ for compatibility
• Cleanup: Old temporary files are automatically removed

Missing Dependencies

# Reinstall all dependencies
pip install -r requirements_gradio.txt --force-reinstall

FFmpeg Not Found

• Install FFmpeg and add to system PATH
• Application will fall back to OpenCV if FFmpeg unavailable

Connection Errors

• Check internet connection for NASA data downloads
• Verify NOAA endpoints are accessible for solar wind data

Debug Mode

Enable debug output by checking console logs when running the application.

📊 Data Sources

• NASA Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO): Solar images
• NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center: Solar wind data
• Helioviewer Project: Image metadata and organization

🤝 Contributing

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch (git checkout -b feature/amazing-feature)
3. Commit your changes (git commit -m 'Add amazing feature')
4. Push to the branch (git push origin feature/amazing-feature)
5. Open a Pull Request

📝 License

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

🙏 Acknowledgments

• NASA Solar Dynamics Observatory for providing high-quality solar images
• NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center for real-time solar wind data
• Helioviewer Project for image organization and metadata
• Gradio Team for the excellent web interface framework
• OpenCV and FFmpeg communities for video processing capabilities

📞 Support

• Issues: GitHub Issues
• Discussions: GitHub Discussions
• Documentation: Check the source code comments for detailed API documentation

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Created by Andy Kong | Powered by NASA SDO Data | Built with Python & Gradio