Large plasma plumes seen around the sun during totality were not caused by solar flares, experts say., you may have glimpsed what looked like explosive solar flares bursting from the sun after its fiery corona briefly came into view. But it turns out this was not the case. On Monday , millions of people across North America watched as the moon temporarily blocked out our home star and its shadow raced along the path of totality between Mexico and Canada at more than 1,500 mph .
Solar activity data backs up French's claim. On April 8, there was just one minor C-class solar flare that ended several hours beforeUnlike solar flares, which eject plasma as they explode from the sun's surface, prominences are plasma structures that remain connected to the solar surface for days or weeks, normally forming a large loop,frequently unleash flares and other solar storms, which meant the chances of solar flares occurring were greatly reduced.
Harry is a U.K.-based staff writer at Live Science. He studied Marine Biology at the University of Exeter and after graduating started his own blog site"Marine Madness," which he continues to run with other ocean enthusiasts. He is also interested in evolution, climate change, robots, space exploration, environmental conservation and anything that's been fossilized. When not at work he can be found watching sci-fi films, playing old Pokemon games or running .