Solar Magnetic Bananas
Is that our Sun? The unusual banana-shaped loops shown above are actually part of a
computer-generated snap-shot of our
Sun's magnetic field.
This animated frame was constructed using
data from the ground-based U.S.
Solar Vector Magnetograph and the
space-based Japanese X-Ray Telescope
Yohkoh. Surfaces of constant
magnetic field strength loop through the
Sun's corona, break through the
Sun's surface, and connect regions of magnetic activity such as
sunspots.
Recently,
contact has been interrupted with the Sun-watching
SOHO satellite.
Although SOHO had completed its two year mission,
attempts are still being made to re-establish communication.