Solar Prominence Sequence, EIT, 2000
A prominence is a large, bright, gaseous feature extending outward from the Sun's surface, often in a loop shape. Prominences are anchored to the Sun's surface in the photosphere, and extend outwards into the Sun's corona. While the corona consists of extremely hot ionized gases, known as plasma, which do not emit much visible light, prominences contain much cooler plasma, similar in composition to that of the chromosphere. The prominence plasma is typically a hundred times cooler and denser than the coronal plasma. Some prominences break apart and may then give rise to coronal mass ejections. Scientists are currently researching how and why prominences are formed. When a prominence is viewed from a different perspective so that it is against the sun instead of against space, it appears darker than the surrounding background. This formation is instead called a solar filament. It is possible for a projection to be both a filament and a prominence. Prominences may last for a few days or even for a few months. Images recorded May 20, 2000 by the EIT on board the SOHO spacecraft.
Size: 3600px × 3675px
Photo credit: © Photo Researchers / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: -type, 2000, 2000s, 21st, activity, astronomical, astronomy, body, celestial, century, deep, dwarf, eit, eruption, extreme, filament, flare, g2v, heavenly, image, imaging, main, main-sequence, object, prominence, science, sequence, series, sky, soho, solar, space, star, sun, surface, telescope, ultraviolet, yellow
