... A Prominent Solar Prominence from SOHO . ... A solar prominence is a cloud of solar gas held above the Sun's surface by the Sun's magnetic field. ... Scanning the skies for galaxies, Canadian astronomer Paul Hickson and colleagues identified some 100 compact groups of galaxies, now appropriately called Hickson Compact Groups (HCGs). ... The catch is, this lunar X is only apparent during a four hour period just before the Moon's first quarter phase. ... Crescent Moon and Venus . ...