Almost Flame-like

An elongated cloud of plasma slowly erupted and rose up above the Sun over a day and a half (Aug. 3-4, 2013). It appeared to hold a shape like a flame for quite some time until it finally became bulbous, moved upwards, and dispersed. The view came from the STEREO Ahead spacecraft?s COR2 coronagraph. The Sun (represented by the white circle) is blocked out by a black occulting disk so that we can observe these kinds of features in the Sun?s corona. Of course, the Sun is not a ball of fire, but it can sure look like one on occasion.

We should end with an apt Shakespearean quote (Coriolanus, Act V, Scene 4):
SICINIUS: Friend, Art thou certain this is true? is it most certain?
Second Messenger: As certain as I know the sun is fire

• COR2_flame_best.mov   
• COR2_flame_sm.mov   
• COR2_flame_best.mpg   
• Print version. Right click for download.