Churning Eruptive Prominence

The STEREO (Behind) spacecraft captured this interesting eruptive prominence over a two-day period (July 12-14, 2008). The ionized plasma observed is 60,000 degrees as seen in a wavelength of extreme ultraviolet light. Prominences are cooler clouds of gas suspended in the Sun's million-degree atmosphere by often competing magnetic forces. Some of the material is pulled one way and some another along arced paths defined by magnetic fields until, in this case, the material broke away and was dissipated.

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