Popping Off (October 29, 2010)

Hi-res TIF image (4.3M)

Quicktime Movie: Large ( 69M) Medium ( 21M), Small (1.9M)
MPEG Movie (6.7M)

Pieces of the Sun were flying off into space in different forms over two days (Oct. 25-26, 2010) as STEREO (Ahead) observed in extreme ultraviolet light. A swirling mass of particles rose up and spun for about a day before lifting off. Then a prominence eruption curled up and out near the Sun's north pole. Lastly, an active region shot out a narrow jet of plasma in profile on the left side. None of these actions was unusual, but we do not often get to see them sequenced so close together.

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.