Astronomy Practice Exam

What are solar prominences?

1. Small flares that occur on the sun

2. Strong solar winds that affect Earth

3. Huge, arching lines of gas released from the photosphere

4. Dark areas that appear during solar eclipses

The correct answer is: Huge, arching lines of gas released from the photosphere

Solar prominences are indeed huge, arching structures made of plasma that extend outward from the Sun's surface, specifically from the photosphere. They often form in the Sun's chromosphere and can be seen as large, bright loops that rise above the solar surface. These prominences are comprised primarily of hydrogen gas, and they are held in place by the Sun's magnetic fields. Prominences can vary in size and shape, sometimes stretching for hundreds of thousands of kilometers into space. They often become visible during solar observations, particularly when the conditions are right, such as during solar maximum periods when solar activity is heightened. The prominence structures can last for several days to weeks, but they can also erupt violently in some cases, leading to solar flares or coronal mass ejections. In contrast, the other choices describe different phenomena associated with the Sun or its effects. Small flares are solar flares, which are intense bursts of radiation, while solar winds are streams of charged particles released from the solar corona, affecting Earth's magnetosphere. Dark areas seen during solar eclipses are typically sunspots or the moon shading the Sun and are not related to prominences.