This video of a solar prominence was taken on Oct. 2, 2014 at McDonald Observatory. A solar prominence is a cloud of hot gas rising off of the Sun's surface held in place by magnetic fields. Most prominences, like this one, are quiescent and stable; they can last for months. The video was made using a six-inch telescope with a hydrogen alpha filter. This video has been sped up; the original version is 90 minutes long. (credit: Kevin Mace/McDonald Observatory)
