This picture of the Sun was taken at 1:03 pm on June 16, 2012,
shortly after the Public Observatory opened for the afternoon.
On-site and online visitors observed a beautiful arcing
prominence, seen at the lower right of this image. The
prominence is a loop of gas above the Sun. The Sun is so hot
that its gas is partially ionized: some electrons have been
stripped from their atoms. This kind of gas must follow magnetic
field lines. Magnetic loops that protrude from the Sun therefore
serve as highways above the surface of the Sun. Gas streams
along the loops, creating prominences, and then usually falls
back into the Sun. Also visible in this image is the dramatic
sunspot group A.R. 1504, a cluster of three dark dots near the
center right of the Sun. Each sunspot is about twice as large as
the Earth. This sunspot group has been producing moderate flares
and has the potential to produce more extreme flares. Telescope:
Lunt 100mm hydrogen-alpha Camera: Lumenera Skynyx 2-2M