Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. This week's stereo offering features the now famous Active Region 9393, the largest sunspot group in the last 10 years. The images were recorded in extreme ultraviolet light and AR9393 is seen as an extensive array of bright patches laced with large graceful loops of arcing plasma. In the extreme ultraviolet, active regions outshine the solar surface, just the reverse of their appearance as dark sunspots against a bright photosphere when viewed in visible light.
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