Solar prominences are dense clouds of ionized gas held in place by the sun’s magnetic field. They are part of the sun’s solar activity cycle and can be active or quiescent. They can span thousands of kilometers and are visible during a total solar eclipse. They are often confused with solar flares. Solar prominences have been observed in other stars and phenomena in the Milky Way.
Solar prominence typically refers to the astronomical phenomenon of dense clouds of ionized gas, otherwise known as plasma, emerging from the sun and held in place by its magnetic field. These clouds are called incandescent, because they come from the sun. The solar prominence generally looks like a ring protruding from the sun. If you can picture the sun as a face, it looks like strands of hair extending from the head.
Scientists generally believe that solar prominences are part of the sun’s solar activity cycle. This solar activity cycle describes the periodic variations of observable features on the sun or in its atmosphere. The solar prominence is thought to result from magnetic field manipulations caused by the magnetization of the hot gases that make up the sun, in concert with its rotational motion, which has an effect on heat production. These gases are suspended above the sun’s photosphere and may extend to its corona.
There are two main classifications of solar prominences: active and quiescent. Quiescent bumps are usually the result of a slow process and last longer, sometimes observable for months at a time. Active bumps are sudden eruptions that can last from a few hours to a few days.
A typical solar prominence can span thousands of kilometers. The largest solar prominence ever observed occurred in 1967, as documented by the Solar and Heliographic Observatory (SOHO). This solar prominence has been recorded as extending to a length of 217,500 miles (about 350,000 kilometers).
People often confuse solar prominences with solar flares. While they are similar, the term solar flare usually refers to a temporary brightening of the sun itself. However, solar flares may be capable of producing solar prominence based on the releases of energy and plasma that can be captured in the sun’s magnetic fields.
During a total solar eclipse, solar prominences can become visible. They can also be observed using a spectroscope. The first astronomer to have observed solar prominence is believed to have been Swedish scientist Birger Vasseinus in 1733. Descriptions in his papers indicate that the phenomenon he saw was most likely an example of solar prominence.
Scientists have also observed solar prominence in phenomena other than the sun in the Milky Way. Other stars have also been shown to display prominence. These stellar prominences have been observed to be much larger than the solar prominences created by the sun.
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