# Solar Imagery MCP provides live NASA data. AI Agent Connect > Solar Imagery MCP connects your AI client directly to NASA's SDO and SOHO telescopes. You can pull live frames across ten different AIA wavelengths, read magnetic field polarity via HMI magnetograms, and monitor the outer corona for coronal mass ejections using LASCO coronagraphs. It's a direct pipeline to the imagery space-weather forecasters use to predict geomagnetic storms. ## Overview - **Category:** weather-climate - **Price:** Free - **Endpoint:** https://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_gnPAxZlCR1E7mS4YETp0Sdpq5IH01T4u8HHj3ooY/ai-agent-connect - **Tags:** solar, sun, sdo, aia, hmi, soho, lasco, coronagraph, solar-flare, space-weather ## Description You can now give your AI agent eyes on the Sun. This MCP pulls live data from NASA's SDO and SOHO instruments, providing the exact frames used to track solar activity. Instead of digging through complex NASA archives, you just ask your agent to find a specific phenomenon. If you need to see sunspots, the agent pulls HMI intensitygrams. If you're looking for an eruption, it can grab the 193 Å running-difference frame or use LASCO coronagraphs to watch a CME expand out to 30 solar radii. The data includes capture times and file sizes, and the MCP automatically flags any frame older than a day as stale. This makes it easy to distinguish between a live solar event and outdated imagery when you're monitoring for Earth-directed space weather. ## Tools ### get_solar_image Fetches a specific solar image from the NASA archive. It returns a stable URL, capture time, and file size, while flagging any frames older than 24 hours as stale. ### list_solar_image_products Lists all available image products from a specific instrument. You can filter by AIA, HMI, or LASCO to see exactly what each imager publishes. ### list_solar_instruments Shows the available solar imagers including SDO's AIA and HMI and SOHO's LASCO. It details what each instrument observes and how many products it provides. ### find_solar_product_for Identifies the best image product for a specific solar phenomenon. It suggests the right wavelength or coronagraph for things like sunspots, flares, or CMEs. ## Prompt Examples **Prompt:** ``` Show me what the Sun looks like right now. ``` **Response:** ``` The SDO HMI intensitygram shows the solar disc in white light with sunspot groups visible as dark patches. You can also check the AIA 171 Å frame for coronal loops or the LASCO C3 coronagraph to watch for eruptions. ``` **Prompt:** ``` Is there a coronal mass ejection heading our way? ``` **Response:** ``` To check for a CME, look at the LASCO C3 coronagraph. A bright expanding cloud in that frame indicates an Earth-directed event. You can pair this with the AIA 193 Å running-difference frame to see material that recently left the disc. ``` **Prompt:** ``` Where do I look for sunspots? ``` **Response:** ``` Use the HMI intensitygram to see sunspots as dark patches on the solar disc. For the magnetic field behind them, the HMI magnetogram shows the polarity of sunspot groups as black and white pairs. ``` ## Capabilities ### Multi-wavelength observation Your agent can access ten different AIA wavelengths to view the solar atmosphere at temperatures ranging from 6,000 to 10 million degrees. ### Magnetic field mapping The agent uses HMI magnetograms to identify sunspot polarity and magnetic intensity. ### CME tracking Your agent can monitor the outer corona using LASCO coronagraphs to detect expanding clouds of plasma. ### Automated freshness checks The MCP flags any image older than one day as stale so your agent doesn't rely on outdated data. ### Phenomenon matching Your agent can automatically select the correct instrument and wavelength based on whether you are asking about flares, sunspots, or coronal holes. ## Use Cases ### Geomagnetic Storm Prediction An agent monitors AIA flares and LASCO C3 clouds to identify signatures of Earth-directed storms. ### Sunspot Tracking A user asks the agent to find the magnetic polarity of a specific sunspot group using HMI data. ### Atmospheric Temperature Analysis An agent pulls different AIA wavelengths to study the solar atmosphere at various temperature layers. ### Coronal Hole Identification The agent selects the specific product needed to visualize coronal holes and their impact on solar wind. ## Benefits - Direct access to NASA SDO and SOHO data without API keys. - Automated identification of the best instrument for any solar event. - Real-time monitoring of coronal mass ejections via LASCO. - Built-in stale data detection to ensure imagery is current. ## How It Works Connect your client to Vinkius to access NASA's solar data instantly. 1. Connect your AI client to the Solar Imagery MCP via Vinkius. 2. Ask your agent to find a specific solar phenomenon or instrument. 3. The agent selects the appropriate tool like find_solar_product_for. 4. The MCP retrieves the live NASA frame and its metadata. 5. The agent presents the image URL and relevant data to you. ## Frequently Asked Questions **Do I need a NASA API key to use this?** No. This MCP provides keyless access to the SDO and SOHO data streams. **How do I know if the solar image is current?** The MCP checks the capture time for every frame. If an image is older than 24 hours, it is flagged as stale. **Which instrument should I use to see sunspots?** The HMI intensitygram is the best tool for seeing sunspots as dark patches on the solar disc. **Can I track coronal mass ejections (CMEs)?** Yes. You can use the LASCO C2 and C3 coronagraphs to photograph CMEs as they move out to 30 solar radii. **What if the SDO is performing maintenance?** If SDO is paused for maneuvers or transits, you can ask your agent to try a different wavelength or use the SOHO LASCO coronagraphs. **Do I need an API key?** No. This reads NASA's public SDO and SOHO image archives, which require no key or account. **What do the AIA wavelength numbers mean?** They are angstroms of extreme-ultraviolet light. Each one is emitted by plasma at a characteristic temperature: 304 Å shows the 50,000-degree chromosphere, 171 Å the million-degree coronal loops, and 94 Å and 131 Å the multi-million-degree plasma of solar flares. **Which product shows a coronal mass ejection?** Two of them. The AIA 193 Å running-difference frame (aia193-difference) shows the eruption leaving the disc, and the LASCO C3 coronagraph (lasco-c3) photographs it out to 30 solar radii — a bright expanding cloud filling that frame is an Earth-directed CME. Call find_solar_product_for with "cme" to get both. **Why is an image marked stale?** Its capture time is more than a day old. SDO pauses imagery during spacecraft manoeuvres, lunar transits and instrument calibration; SOHO pauses during Spacecraft rolls. Try another wavelength or the coronagraphs, and retry later.