SOLAR PROMINENCES

Image 1: A SOHO-EIT image showing a huge eruptive prominence in the resonance line of singly ionized helium (He II) at 304 Angstroms in the extreme ultraviolet. While the filament was active at least nine hours before this exposure, the eruption started less than three hours before this image was obtained (1997 August 26 at 16:07 UT). Image Credit: NASA/ESA/SOHO-EIT Consortium More Information: Solar and Heliospheric Observatory Image 2: EIT 304Å image of a huge, handle-shaped prominence taken on Sept. 14, 1999 -- Prominences are 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. Image Credit: NASA/ESA/Solar & Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) More Information: SOHO ESA Site