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Elongated Coronal Hole

March 24, 2016
NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory shows a long coronal hole has rotated so that was temporarily facing right towards Earth (Mar. 23-25, 2016). Coronal holes appear dark when viewed in some wavelengths of extreme ultraviolet light.

A long coronal hole has rotated so that was temporarily facing right towards Earth (Mar. 23-25, 2016). Coronal holes appear dark when viewed in some wavelengths of extreme ultraviolet light. These holes are magnetically open areas from which high-speed solar wind streams into space. This solar wind can cause aurora when it reaches Earth several days from now. So, those in higher latitudes might want to keep an eye out for some beautiful displays.

Movie
PIA19178_Cor_hole193_Mar_sm.mp4
PIA19178_Cor_hole193_Mar_big.mp4

SDO is managed by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. Its Atmosphere Imaging Assembly was built by the Lockheed Martin Solar Astrophysics Laboratory (LMSAL), Palo Alto, California.

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