By NASA April 15, 2024On August 31, 2012, a huge prominence on the sun erupted, sending out particles and a shock wave that traveled near Earth. This picture of the prominence before it emerged was caught by NASAs Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). Credit: NASA/SDO/AIA/ Goddard Space Flight CenterWhat Is a Solar Prominence?Solar prominences are bright, substantial functions emanating from the Suns surface area, extending into the corona and lasting approximately several months.A solar prominence (likewise referred to as a filament when seen against the solar disk) is a large, intense function extending outward from the Suns surface area. Prominences are anchored to the Suns surface in the photosphere, and extend outwards into the Suns hot external atmosphere, called the corona. A prominence forms over timescales of about a day, and stable prominences might continue in the corona for several months, looping hundreds of countless miles into space. Researchers are still investigating how and why prominences are formed.A solar eruptive prominence as seen in severe UV light on March 30, 2010, with Earth superimposed for a sense of scale. Credit: NASA/SDOThe red-glowing looped material is plasma, a hot gas made up of electrically charged hydrogen and helium. The prominence plasma flows along a twisted and twisted structure of electromagnetic fields created by the suns internal eager beaver. An erupting prominence takes place when such a structure ends up being unsteady and bursts outward, releasing the plasma.
