Solar Orbiter captures stunning dark prominence on the Sun’s surface

The Solar Orbiter has recently provided a stunning glimpse of the Sun, capturing an extraordinary dark prominence extending from its surface. This intriguing structure is comprised of dense plasma, a form of charged gas that becomes visible due to its interaction with the Sun’s intricate magnetic field. The prominence appears darker than its surroundings because it is cooler, measuring about 10,000 degrees Celsius, in contrast to the searing million-degree plasma that envelops it.

Classified as a prominence when observed against the vastness of space, this feature is known as a filament when viewed against the bright face of the Sun. Notably, solar prominences and filaments can stretch for tens of thousands of kilometers, far surpassing the diameter of our planet, and they may persist for days or even months. The captivating video of this event shows a time-lapsed one-hour sequence of solar activity, showcasing the dynamic movements of the plasma.

Captured using the Extreme Ultraviolet Imager (EUI) on March 17, 2025, the Solar Orbiter was positioned approximately 63 million kilometers from the Sun, a distance comparable to that of Mercury’s orbit. This mission represents a collaborative effort between the European Space Agency (ESA) and NASA, with the EUI instrument being operated by the Royal Observatory of Belgium. In the video, the left half reveals the Sun’s surface, which appears to pulsate with glowing features, while the prominence juts out dramatically on the right, resembling delicate, flowing plumes moving in various directions.