12 March

SOHO sees eruptive prominence
31 DEC. 2003 publication date 2308 Views

2004: On 12 March 2004, the Sun ejected a spectacular 'eruptive prominence' into the heliosphere. SOHO, the ESA/NASA solar watchdog observatory, faithfully recorded the event.

At the time of this snapshot, taken by the Extreme-ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (EIT) on board SOHO, the eruptive prominence seen at top right was over 700 000 kilometres across - over fifty times Earth's diameter - and was moving at a speed of over 75 000 kilometres per hour.

Eruptive prominences of this size are associated with coronal mass ejections (CMEs), and the combination of CMEs and prominences can affect Earth's magnetosphere when directed toward our planet. In this case, the eruptive prominence and associated CME were directed away from Earth.

SOHO is a mission of international co-operation between ESA and NASA, launched in December 1995. Every day SOHO sends thrilling images from which research scientists learn about the Sun's nature and behaviour. Experts around the world use SOHO images and data to help them predict 'space weather' events affecting our planet.


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