                        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.

                               2022 November 2

                     A Partial Eclipse of an Active Sun
             Video Credit: Ralf Burkart; h/t Maciej Libert (AG)

   Explanation: Watch for three things in this unusual eclipse video.
   First, watch for a big dark circle to approach from the right to block
   out more and more of the Sun. This dark circle is the Moon, and the
   video was made primarily to capture this partial solar eclipse last
   week. Next, watch a large solar prominence hover and shimmer over the
   Sun's edge. A close look will show that part of it is actually falling
   back to the Sun. The prominence is made of hot plasma that is
   temporarily held aloft by the Sun's changing magnetic field. Finally,
   watch the Sun's edge waver. What is wavering is a dynamic carpet of hot
   gas tubes rising and falling through the Sun's chromosphere -- tubes
   known as spicules. The entire 4-second time-lapse video covers a time
   of about ten minutes, although the Sun itself is expected to last
   another 5 billion years.

     Partial Solar Eclipse in October 2022: Notable Submissions to APOD
                       Tomorrow's picture: open space
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       Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
            NASA Official: Phillip Newman Specific rights apply.
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                      A service of: ASD at NASA / GSFC,
                           NASA Science Activation
                             & Michigan Tech. U.

