Quiescent prominence observed by CoMP-S          

Lomnicky Peak Observatory, CoMP-S

Solar prominences are seen as bright translucent clouds at the solar limb because they mainly scatter light from the underlying disc. These clouds form in regions of complex magnetic topology, which can evolve abruptly, disintegrating the prominence and ejecting magnetised material into the heliosphere. Interestingly for space weather predictions, 50% of solar tornadoes — a particular kind of prominence associated with apparently rotating, vertical, funnel-shaped dark structures — are eruptive and can have strong implications for the coronal magnetic field and the heliosphere.

This image shows an example of a quiescent prominence, observed near the south pole of the Sun on October 20, 2012. It was taken with the CoMP-S instrument installed at the Lomnicky Stit Observatory in the spectral lines of H I 656 nm (top -  07:08:40 UT) and Ca II 854 nm (bottom - 07:04:43 UT).

Image credit: Jan Rybak (AISAS)