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December 14, 2005

Loop Prominence

Loop Prominence

The distinctive shape of the prominence results from strong magnetic fields in the region bending the hot plasma into a loop. Prominence is a mass of gas that resembles a cloud that arises or erupts from the chromosphere of the sun and is seen in monochromatic light of hydrogen or calcium as dark against the solar surface, or bright if protruding from the sun's limb. Picture from the National Solar Observatory's Sacramento Peak Observatory.

Credit: Credit: NSO/AURA/NSF

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