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Rare Encircling Filament

NASA/GSFC/Solar Dynamics Observatory2017-11-08

NASA

NASA
Washington, DC, United States

NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory came across an oddity this week that the spacecraft has rarely observed before: a dark filament encircling an active region (Oct. 29-31, 2017). Solar filaments are clouds of charged particles that float above the sun, tethered to it by magnetic forces. They are usually elongated and uneven strands. Only a handful of times before have we seen one shaped like a circle. (The black area to the left of the brighter active region is a coronal hole, a magnetically open region of the sun). While it may no major scientific value, it is noteworthy because of its rarity. The still and video clip were taken in a wavelength of extreme ultraviolet light.

Movies are available at https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA22104

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  • Title: Rare Encircling Filament
  • Creator: NASA/GSFC/Solar Dynamics Observatory
  • Date Created: 2017-11-08
  • Rights: JPL
  • Album: kboggs
NASA

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