Read Laboratory Exercise 6, section 4a and answer question 25.
Figure 6.21 Coronal Mass Ejections
Coronal Mass Ejections (CME) are massive clouds of hot gas that are ejected by the sun. Sometimes CMEs are directed towards us, and sometimes they are directed away from us depending on the orientation of the flare that produced them. These are LASCO (Large Angle and Spectrometric Coronagraph) images onboard the SOHO (Solar and Heliospheric Observatory) .
Below are examples of CMEs at different orientations.
Eastward CME:
Earthward CME:
Westward CME:
Figure 6.22 Violent Coronal Mass Ejections
Below is a SOHO/LASCO coronagraph showing extremely violent coronal mass ejections (CMEs). Please note the CMEs of July 16, 18 and 20, 2002. The two bright objects which appear to be approaching the Sun from the East and West are the planets Jupiter and Mercury. Mars is also visible in the East.
