A huge, twisted solar prominence (lower left) in the corona of the Sun. The prominence is a massive cloud of plasma confined by powerful magnetic fields. If it breaks free of the Sun’s atmosphere, such an event can cause electrical blackouts and auroral storms, if directed towards Earth. This image was taken in the light of ionised helium (30.4 nanometres), which corresponds to a temperature of around 60,000 Kelvin. It was taken on 18th January 2000 by the Extreme Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (EIT) on board the SOHO (Solar and Heliospheric Observatory) spacecraft (Image: SOHO / ESA / NASA /…
Space
Danger ahead as the Sun goes quiet
By David Shiga
7 January 2009
