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by NASA - © Corbis. All Rights Reserved. - © NASA/Science Photo Library/Corbis
Solar prominence. SOHO image of a huge twisted 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 elec
15 May 2003 --- Solar prominence. SOHO image of a huge twisted 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 by © NASA/Science Photo Library/Corbis
