An enormous magnetic filament is perched directly above sunspot 1112 near the sun's southeastern limb. If the filament collapses (as they often do) and hits the sunspot below, the resulting explosion could be impressive. Actually, it's already impressive:

Image
© Jo Dahlmans and Wouter Verhesen
Dutch amateur astronomers Jo Dahlmans and Wouter Verhesen took the picture yesterday using a Lunt solar telescope. "We inverted (made negative) the sun's surface for a stunning display of the snaking filament," says Dahlmans. "In the distance you can see prominences dancing like flames along the limb of the sun. What a vista!"

Readers with solar telescopes, you know what to do.

More images: from Dave Gradwell of Birr, Ireland; from Jimmy Eubanks of Boiling Springs, SC; from Robert Arnold of Isle of Skye, Scotland; from James Kevin Ty of Manila, Philippines; from Michael Buxton of Ocean Beach, California; from Gianfranco Meregalli of Milano, Italy