Amateur astronomers are first to detect small objects impacting

Just as sunspot 1105 was turning away from Earth on Sept. 8, the active region erupted, producing a solar flare and a fantastic prominence. The eruption also hurled a bright coronal mass ejection into space. The eruption was not directed toward any planets...

> View larger This is a snapshot of the prominence. Credit: NASA/SDO

 

 

Susan Hendrix

NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center