Coronal mass ejections and Large filament

1 month ago
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The large filament that had been hanging out in the northeast quadrant just lifted off beginning around 06:15 UTC (July 15th). A coronal mass ejection (CME) is now just becoming visible in updated coronagraph imagery. Although the CME should be directed mostly to the north and east, a further update will be provided if an Earth directed component is associated.
MASSIVE ERUPTION CREATES 'CANYON OF FIRE': For days, astronomers have been monitoring an enormous filament of magnetism curling over the northeastern limb of the sun. Today, it erupted. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory recorded the upheaval.
Debris from the filament flew through the sun's atmosphere, carving a "canyon of fire" more than 400,000 km long. The walls of the canyon are at least 20,000 km high--a grand canyon, indeed.

This eruption also hurled a CME into space. We don't yet know if there is an Earth-directed component. Confirmation awaits additional images from SOHO coronagraphs. Stay tuned for updates.

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