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AsteriaStar
Solar feature

Coronal Loop

An arch of hot, glowing plasma tracing a magnetic field line rooted in the photosphere, the basic building block of the closed corona above active regions. Coronal loops shine brightly in the extreme ultraviolet and X-rays and are central to studies of how the corona is structured and heated.

Highlights

  • Plasma tracing a coronal magnetic field line

Across solar physics

Knowledge connections

Sources

The primary and reference sources this topic draws on.

  • NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration

    Mission data, planetary science, space telescopes, and public-domain imagery.

    Most NASA-produced imagery is in the public domain; individual items are checked for usage terms before publication.