Just in time for Valentine's Day, our home star has given off a very potent heart beat. It has come in the form of a huge plasma eruption about 12 times bigger than our planet earth.
According to Spaceweather.com, this plasma shoot, is basically a combo of very hot positively and negatively charged particles. The picture shows the plasma blast on the northwestern rim of the sun.
The plasma is shooting over 93 million miles into space. Experts call this a, "hedgerow prominence".
But what is holding this string of plasma up so high?
An unstable magnetic field is responsible for shooting it up at such a distance, but it can collapse it just as fast. If that support fails, the plasma can slam right back on to the sun causing a solar flare. This would be unlike a typical flare which is normally caused by a sunspot.
Neat little bit of info to impress your date tonight! Happy Valentine's Day
