Astrophotographer Mark Johnston has captured a fascinating view of the sun, this time showing a cloud of hydrogen plasma spinning and dancing on the solar surface, suspended by powerful magnetic fields.
A solar prominence, also known as a solar filament when viewed against the solar disk, is a large bright structure that extends from the surface of the Sun. The bright red material is plasma, a hot gas made of charged hydrogen and helium, which flows along twisted magnetic field lines generated by the internal dynamo of the sun. When these magnetic structures become unstable, the prominence can burst and spew plasma into space. They are anchored to the sun’s photosphere and extend into its warm upper atmosphere, known as the corona. The bulges can form in about a day and persist for weeks or even months, traveling hundreds of thousands of kilometers in space. according to nasa.
To capture the images, Johnston used a TEC160FL refractor equipped with a Baader energy rejection filter, a Baader 4ZS telecentric, a Solar Spectrum 0.3 Å hydrogen-alpha etalon, a Lunt hydrogen-alpha etalon, and an ASI174M camera. The result is an astonishing level of detail, revealing the subtle movement of plasma as it interacts with the sun’s dynamic magnetic environment.
Remember, viewing the sun without the proper equipment can be dangerous. Never look at it directly with the naked eye or through a telescope unless you are using certified sun filters.
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