Eruptive Prominence
Explanation:
Activity on our parent star continues to increase as the sun
approaches a maximum in its 11-year
solar cycle,
expected in the year 2000.
On June 14 - only a
week before the
solstice -
the space-based SOHO observatory recorded
this stunning view of an
immense prominence erupting from the
sun's southern latitudes (south is up).
The false-color image was made in the extreme Ultraviolet light produced by
ionized Helium atoms in the solar plasma.
Earth dwellers
fortunate enough to be
well located in
Europe,
the Middle East,
Asia may be able to view for
themselves activity above the solar limb during the upcoming
August solar eclipse - the last total
eclipse of the
second millennium.
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
