• Disk view of the Sun's atmosphere featuring some sunspots (dark spots on the sun) surrounded by lighter-colored phages and a solar flare. A prominence and filament are visible as floating red gases on the upper left edge and a dark line on the upper center of the Sun, respectively.
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    This image of the Sun was taken at the Phoebe Waterman Haas Public Observatory on May 2, 2013 at 11:49 AM with a hydrogen-alpha telescope.

    The Sun showed off several interesting details for visitors. There were several sunspot groups (areas of increased magnetic activity), one of which later produced an M-class solar flare. The bright areas surrounding the sunspots are cloud-like features called plages.  The dark lines on the disk of the Sun (filaments) and the bright loops seen along the edges (prominences) are actually the same phenomenon; both features are magnetic loops protruding out of the Sun.

    Look for differences between this view of the Sun and the view one day earlier and one day later.

    Telescope: Lunt 100mm hydrogen- alpha

    Camera: Lumenera SKYnyx 2-2M

  • Disk view of the Sun's atmosphere featuring some sunspots (dark spots on the sun) surrounded by lighter-colored phages and a solar flare. A prominence and filament are visible as floating red gases on the upper left edge and a dark line on the upper center of the Sun, respectively.

Created:

May 02, 2013

Photographer:

Katie Nagy and Kaitlin Evans

ID#:

WEB13111-2013

Source:

Smithsonian Public Observatory Project

Owner:

Smithsonian Institution

Rights Usage:

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