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US - SPACE - ULTRAVIOLET SUN IMAGE
This NASA SOHO (Solar and Heliospheric Observatory) image obtained 17 January, 2002 shows a coronal hole appearing as a dark areas (lower right) of the Sun's corona when viewed in ultraviolet light. This elongated hole area captured 11 January was one of the largest seen by SOHO. Although they are usually located at the poles of the Sun, coronal holes can occur in other places as well. The magnetic field lines in a coronal hole extend out into the solar wind rather than coming back down to the Sun's surface as they do in other parts of the Sun. Thus, they are often the source of strong solar wind gusts that carry solar particles into space and possibly impact the Earth. AFP PHOTO/ NASA/SOHO
NASA / SOHO / NASA/SOHO / AFP