A very large prominence spanning the equivalent of at least 18 planet Earth's across is seen in the latest SDO images off the southeast limb.

Prominences are dense clouds of material suspended above the surface of the Sun by loops of magnetic field. Prominences and filaments are actually the same thing, except that prominences are seen projecting out above the limb, or edge, of the Sun. Both filaments and prominences can remain in a quiet or quiescent state for days or weeks. However, as the magnetic loops that support them slowly change, filaments and prominences can erupt and rise off of the Sun over the course of a few minutes or hours.New Sunspot in formation located in the southeast quadrant. Image by SDO. [link to www.facebook.com]