Quadrants of Prominences (February 9, 2005)
Hi-res TIF (3.9M)
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While the EIT 304 Angstrom instrument is SOHO's best at capturing prominence images, one
could wait several weeks for interesting prominences to appear. However, over a recent
10-day
period (Jan. 27 - Feb. 7, 2005), we have observed four prominences or loops, just one in
each quadrant. (Admittedly, the image from Jan. 27 displays loops above an active region,
not
really a prominence but it does rise above the solar surface.) So it seems appropriate to display these in a collage of prominences (huge clouds of relatively cool dense plasma suspended in the Sun's hot, thin corona). At times, they can erupt, escaping the Sun's atmosphere. For all four images, emission in this spectral line of EIT 304 shows the upper chromosphere at a temperature of about 60,000 degrees K. Prominences are a special treat for amateur solar observers with telescopes with Hydrogen-Alpha filters who patiently observe the Sun, while hoping to see a prominence or two. SOHO began its Weekly Pick some time after sending a weekly image or video clip to the American Museum of Natural History (Rose Center) in New York City. There, the SOHO Weekly Pick is displayed with some annotations on a large plasma display. If your institution would also like to receive the same Weekly Pick from us for display (usually in Photoshop or QuickTime format), please send your inquiry to steele.hill@gsfc.nasa.gov. |
