What are prominences?

Prominences are indeed cloudlike structures that extend outward from the sun’s chromosphere, the layer of the sun’s atmosphere situated above the photosphere. These features can be very large, sometimes stretching thousands of kilometers into space, and are composed of hot plasma. They occur in regions of strong magnetic field lines and can take on various shapes, often appearing as arcs or loops.

Prominences are particularly notable because they can be seen during a solar eclipse when the sun’s bright light is obscured, allowing these structures to become visible against the dark background of the sky. They may also contribute to solar phenomena such as solar flares or coronal mass ejections when they become unstable.