At this time of year, near the autumnal equinox, the Earth can pass directly between the sun and NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory, producing a brief eclipse. Yesterday this happened just as a magnetic filament was flying off the sun's northeastern limb. The advancing edge of the Earth cut the sun in half at the moment of maximum eruption:
Image
© SOHO

Even by the lofty standards of SDO, this is a shot of rare beauty. A 5 1/2 hour movie sets the scene in motion; you can see the big-picture (5 MB gif) or a close-up (2 MB mpeg) of the filament. Another movie omits the Earth-shadows; it is easier to follow the filament, yet somehow less photogenic.

The eruption hurled a coronal mass ejection into space (SOHO saw it) but not toward Earth. No geomagnetic storms are expected as a result of the blast.