Sliding Plasma and a CME (February 5, 2010).wmv

The STEREO (Behind) spacecraft could see streams of plasma sliding along magnetic field lines above a sputtering active region (Jan. 26-29, 2010). The dynamic streams were just over the Sun's edge and readily spotted as the Sun rotated them more into view. Then it gets more interesting. About mid-way through the clip, a small coronal mass ejection (CME) shoots out and into space at about a million miles per hour, carrying some magnetic field with it. Most CMEs are more bulbous and wide: this one is quite narrow and contained. Nonetheless, our solar scientists agree that its speed and characteristics suggest that it was indeed a non-typical CME. http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/pickoftheweek/

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Science & Technology

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• Sliding Plasma and a CME February 5
• 2010

[LittleNorthernStar]

I wanna see northern lights!