Pictured above is a solar prominence. This photo was captured by the Sun-orbiting SOHO satellite earlier this year. This photo was taken during an early stage of the eruption which has quickly become one of the biggest ever on record! The enormity of the prominence can be clearly seen from the photo (the Earth would fit inside!). A solar prominence is defined as a thin cloud of solar gas held just above the surface by the Sun's magnetic field. A quiescent prominence usually lasts for about a month but an eruptive prominence such as the one photographed above may erupt within hours into a Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) which expels hot gas into the Solar System. Although prominences are very hot, they usually appear dark when viewed against the Sun because they are still a little bit cooler than the surface of the Sun. More large eruptive prominences are expected as our Sun evolves toward Solar maximum over the next three years.
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