SDO | Gallery | Pi-shaped Prominence (642)

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Published on December 9, 2020 2:04:33 PM ● Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjvUbWIRg5Q

Duration: 0:17

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At one point, as a solar prominence erupted into space, it seemed to create the Greek letter Pi (July 4, 2015). Pi is the symbol for the ratio of a circle's circumference. Prominences, which are elongated clouds of plasma suspended above the Sun's surface by magnetic forces, frequently become unstable and erupt. This one did blow a cloud of particles into space as observed by the SOHO spacecraft, though our close-up shows that some of it fell back into the Sun. The video clip covers about seven hours of activity in a wavelength of extreme ultraviolet light. Credit: Solar Dynamics Observatory, NASA.