Twisting Prominence Eruption (May 1, 2009)

Hi-res TIF image (3.2M)

MPEG Movie: Large (2.2M)
Quicktime Movie: Large (9.9M), Small (1.1M)

SOHO captured a fairly large prominence eruption over an 8-hour period (April 23, 2009). The prominence rose up, twisted, and broke apart. At its greatest extension, it rose up about 25 Earth's high above the solar surface. The eruption was observed by the EIT instrument in extreme ultraviolet wavelength at 304 Angstroms. Prominences are cooler clouds of gas that are relatively unstable. They are tethered above the Sun by magnetic forces and on occasion can be seen breaking away for reasons not yet fully understood.

SOHO began its Weekly Pick some time after sending a weekly image or video clip to the American Museum of Natural History (Rose Center) in New York City. There, the SOHO Weekly Pick is displayed with some annotations on a large plasma display.

If your institution would also like to receive the same Weekly Pick from us for display (usually in Photoshop or QuickTime format), please send your inquiry to steele.hill@gsfc.nasa.gov.