Research News - Video
Jets coming out of the sun's lower atmosphere as seen by the Hinode Solar Optical Telescope.
The limb chromosphere in all its glory. As seen by the Broadband Filter Imager of the Hinode Solar Optical Telescope on Nov. 22, 2006, this sequence (taken with a Ca II filter) shows the plasma in the sun's lower atmosphere at temperatures between 10,000 and 20,000 degrees Kelvin. The jets coming out of the solar surface are rooted in strong magnetic fields and are called spicules. With some careful detective work, two types of spicules can be discerned. Can you tell the difference?
Credit: Scott McIntosh, Bart De Pontieu, Viggo Hansteen and Karel Schrijver/UCAR. Permission granted for non-commercial, non-profit research or educational purposes only. Contact UCAR for permissions regarding additional use.