Subj : Daily APOD Report
To   : All
From : Alan Ianson
Date : Tue Aug 01 2023 00:39:02

                        Astronomy Picture of the Day

    Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
      fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation
                    written by a professional astronomer.

                                2023 August 1
    The edge of the Sun is shown sporting a large gaseous prominence that
   looks like a science-fiction alien. Please see the explanation for more
                            detailed information.

                          Monster Solar Prominence
                     Image Credit & Copyright: Mike Wenz

   Explanation: The monsters that live on the Sun are not like us. They
   are larger than the Earth and made of gas hotter than in any teapot.
   They have no eyes, but at times, many tentacles. They float. Usually,
   they slowly change shape and just fade back onto the Sun over about a
   month. Sometimes, though, they suddenly explode and unleash energetic
   particles into the Solar System that can attack the Earth.  Pictured is
   a huge solar prominence imaged almost two weeks ago in the light of
   hydrogen. Captured by a small telescope in Gilbert, Arizona, USA, the
   monsteresque plume of gas was held aloft by the ever-present but
   ever-changing magnetic field near the surface of the Sun. Our active
   Sun continues to show an unusually high number of prominences,
   filaments, sunspots, and large active regions as solar maximum
   approaches in 2025.

                    Tomorrow's picture: super space wind
     __________________________________________________________________

       Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
            NASA Official: Phillip Newman Specific rights apply.
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                             & Michigan Tech. U.

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