An astrophotographer in Arizona has captured remarkable new footage of the sun, revealing a massive cloud of hydrogen plasma twisting and moving along the star's edge. The video provides a rare, detailed look at the dynamic forces shaping the solar surface.
The footage, recorded on October 20, 2025, by Mark Johnston, shows a solar prominence suspended in space by powerful magnetic fields. This celestial event, which unfolded over 75 minutes, was condensed into a captivating 6.5-second timelapse, offering a unique perspective on the sun's constant activity.
Key Takeaways
- Astrophotographer Mark Johnston captured a detailed timelapse video of a solar prominence on October 20, 2025.
- The footage compresses 75 minutes of solar activity into a 6.5-second looped video.
- A solar prominence is a large structure of hot plasma gas held in place by the sun's magnetic fields.
- The video was filmed from Willow Springs Lake, Arizona, using highly specialized telescopic equipment.
A Dance of Solar Fire
The video reveals what appears to be a delicate, thread-like structure of glowing red gas hovering just above the sun's visible surface, known as the limb. This formation is a solar prominence, a common but rarely seen in such detail phenomenon on our star.
Mark Johnston, the photographer who captured the event, explained the sight.
"The video shows a cloud of hydrogen plasma suspended above the sun's limb on magnetic fields," Johnston stated. He credited recent equipment upgrades for the exceptional clarity. "I have a new upgrade on my solar etalon filter and when the seeing is good, I'm getting some fabulous results."
The timelapse format makes the slow, graceful movement of the plasma visible, illustrating how it flows along invisible magnetic field lines. The structure contorts and shifts, showcasing the immense and volatile energy of the sun in a hypnotic display.
Understanding Solar Prominences
While visually stunning, the event captured by Johnston is a fundamental aspect of the sun's behavior. A solar prominence is an enormous feature extending outward from the sun's surface.
What is a Solar Prominence?
These structures are composed of plasma, a superheated gas of electrically charged hydrogen and helium. They are anchored to the sun's lower atmosphere, the photosphere, but stretch far out into the much hotter upper atmosphere, the corona. The sun's internal dynamo generates complex magnetic fields that trap and sculpt this plasma into loops, arches, and filaments.
When viewed against the bright solar disk, these features are called filaments because they appear as dark threads. When seen along the edge of the sun, as in this video, they glow brightly against the blackness of space.
According to NASA, solar prominences can form in about a day and remain stable for several weeks or even months. They can loop hundreds of thousands of miles into space, a distance many times the diameter of Earth.
These magnetic structures can sometimes become unstable. When this happens, they can erupt, violently ejecting massive amounts of plasma into space in an event known as a coronal mass ejection (CME). Such events can have significant effects on space weather and technology here on Earth.
The Technology Behind the Image
Capturing such detailed images of the sun requires highly specialized and precise equipment to manage the star's intense light and heat. Looking at the sun directly through a telescope without proper protection can cause permanent eye damage and destroy equipment.
Johnston used a sophisticated setup to achieve the final result. His equipment included:
- A TEC160FL refractor telescope
- A Baader Energy Rejection Filter to block harmful radiation
- A Solar Spectrum 0.3Ć hydrogen-alpha etalon
- A Lunt hydrogen-alpha etalon
- An ASI174M camera designed for astronomical imaging
These components work together to isolate a very specific wavelength of red light emitted by hydrogen gas. This technique, known as hydrogen-alpha filtering, blocks out the overwhelming glare of the sun's main surface and allows the fainter details of the chromosphere and prominences to become visible.
A Reminder on Safe Solar Viewing
The remarkable clarity of Johnston's video underscores the advancements in amateur astronomy. However, it also serves as a critical reminder of the dangers of observing the sun.
It is never safe to look directly at the sun with the naked eye or through standard binoculars or telescopes. Doing so can cause immediate and irreversible blindness.
Safe solar observation requires the use of certified solar filters that are specifically designed to block harmful ultraviolet, infrared, and intense visible light. Anyone interested in viewing the sun should consult with astronomical societies or reputable equipment dealers to ensure they are using proper and safe methods.