Solar plasma, darker than the bright, magnetic loops that serve as its background, serves up an intricate tug of war over about 18 hours just above the Sun's surface (Mar. 28-29, 2013). The plasma is tugged back and forth as competing magnetic forces pull at it. This material appears darker since it is cooler than the surrounding material. About mid-way through the video clip, a burst of plasma in the foreground seems to leap out and dive towards an active region closer to the viewer. The superb level of details, such as the kind shown here, could never be observed before SDO began its operations.
Search Tag(s): 171, loops, limb