The TRACE images may be used without restrictions in publications of any kind. We appreciate an acknowledgement indicating that the Transition Region and Coronal Explorer, TRACE, is a mission of the Stanford-Lockheed Institute for Space Research, and part of the NASA Small Explorer program. More information on TRACE and other TRACE images can be found here.

	This QT movie (5MB) shows the activation of a small filament in AR10785, observed by TRACE in its 195Å channel on May 3, 2006. The movie shows the evolution from 22:30 UT through 00:22 UT the next day. At the start of the movie, the filament configuration under the loop arcade activates, and ejects matter towards the right (the images were rotated 90 degrees counterclockwise, so the ejection is towards the south), without affecting the overlying arcade. Then, after TRACE comes out from behind the Earth's atmosphere (reflected in the dimming of the images by Earth-atmospheric absorption) matter can be seen streaming back from outside the field of view (here cut to 640x480 pixels of 375km each). Notice the brief lighting up of lower loops in the arcade around frame 65 (23:45 UT): these appear more strongly sheared than the higher loops, as expected for a filament configuration. Event pointed out by Dawn Myers (GSFC).
	On 16 June 2006, TRACE observed a small, unnumbered active region near the center of the solar disk. This image, taken in the 171Å channel (most sensitive to emission from gases at one million degrees) shows that region near the center of the 1024x1024 pixel field of view (with 725km/pixel). The region's most impressive neighbor is a large, dark filament whose 'cool' gases (at 20,000K or below) do not emit in the EUV light seen by TRACE, and in fact block that light if any hot material would lie below it.
	The big picture III TRACE's field of view covers only a fraction of the entire Sun, but by repeatedly repointing, it can create an image of the entire solar corona. This image shows the solar corona on 2001/02/19 in the 171Å channel (most sensitive to emission from 1 million degree gases). The image (rescaled to 1500 by 1500 pixels to a side) shows a rather inactive corona. Notice, in particular, the very long filament channel that runs from one side of the disk to the other. Compare that to the Big-Bear H alpha image which shows that the filament channel is much more extended and complete than the filaments that sit within it. P.S. There is also a 4.6MB 4500x4500 pixel version of this image. For those interested in an annotated list of all 3EUV mosaics made by TRACE prior to 2006, click here.
	On April 27, 2006 at 15:52 UT TRACE observed a GOES-class M7.9 flare in 195. AR 10875 has given us a short respite from solar minimum. The beta-gamma-delta configuration has produced several C-class and 2M-class flares in the span of 2 days.This movie (1MB) shows the evolution of the flare from 15:15 UT to 16:30 UT (scaled down by a factor of two in size). Notice the strong flare ribbons and the embedded bright points, causing strong diffraction patterns (as in the image to the left, taken at 15:47:22 UT). Movie courtesy of LiWei Lin and Trish Jibben (SAO).
	In the late phases of the coronal evolution following a C2.6 flare in AR10875, observed by TRACE in its 195Å pass band, this interesting magnetic configuration developed (seen here rotated by 90 degrees clockwise): just above the center of the image, two arcades of loops come together, with sharply bent field lines near the top. Such a configuration suggests the presence of a magnetic null or X point at the top of the two arcades on a separatrix running between the arcades. TRACE frequently observes such cusps, all appearing and fading from view in individual loops quite rapidly, but with new loops often forming to indicate the longevity of the magnetic topopology even if the individual loops are ephemeral.
	This image is one snapshot from a movie (QuickTime, JPEG compressed, 6.2MB) of observations of Active Region 10872 taken on 2006 April 19, from 17 UT through 24 UT, in the 171Å channel of TRACE. The image sequence has not been aligned as we normally do, but shows the Sun rotating under the fixed pointing of TRACE, and one repointing well into the movie. Notice the streaming or waves propagating through the cool loop fans, particularly in the trailing, northern section of the region. Halfway through the movie, a small eruption occurs underneath the leading loops, much like a filament destabilization, although no filament is visible in these observations. Courtesy Dawn Myers (GSFC).
	On April 11, 2006, TRACE observed a C2 flare in Active Region 10871. This image, taken at 18:22UT in the 171Å channel, shows the flare in progress. South of the center of the image is an arced bright flare 'ribbon'; the brightest, southernmost extension of it coincides with a small, unstable filament that is visible in the images following this one. The matching second flare ribbon is much weaker, and placed highly asymmetrically relative to the filament, seen to the left/west of the brighter ribbon. That ribbon moves rapidly over weaker field, in parts revealing structures like fibrils commonly seen in Halpha images. Image courtesy of Dawn Myers, GSFC.
	This 7.2MB QuickTime movie shows ghoulish plasma motions on the Sun within Active Region 10865 (center right) observed by TRACE in its 171Å channel (April 4, 2006 4:30-5:30 UT). But, as if trying to steal our attention, sister region AR 10867 (whose eastern edge juts into the lower left of the field of view - here shown at half size) interjects with a demonic display of its own. Midway through this clip, AR 10867 spews a bulk of plasma along interconnecting field lines in the general direction of its larger, more photogenic sibling, demonstrating once again the ongoing complex interplay of plasma and magnetic fields in the solar corona. [Entry courtesy of LiWei Lin, SAO]
	The big picture II TRACE's field of view covers only a fraction of the entire Sun, but by repeatedly repointing, it can create an image of the entire solar corona. This image shows the solar corona on 1999/08/02 in a false-color, 3-layer composite: the blue, green, and red channels show the 171Å, 195Å, and 284Å, respectively (most sensitive to emission from 1, 1.5, and 2 million degree gases). The image (rescaled to 1500 by 1500 pixels to a side) shows the corona for a moderately active Sun, with some (red) hot active regions in both hemispheres, surrounded by the (blue/green) cooler plasma of the quiet-Sun corona. Notice the multitude of relatively cool loops connecting the active regions on both hemispheres. P.S. There is also a 7.4MB 4500x4500 pixel version of this image. For those interested in an annotated list of all 3EUV mosaics made by TRACE prior to 2006, click here.
	TRACE's 8th birthday: 2006 April 2 TRACE, launched on 1998 April 2, continues to provide unparalleled images of the Sun, working tirelessly after 17.7 million exposures! This collage is a composite images used earlier on these TRACEpod pages. We have logged over 600 publications in the refereed professional literature (listed here) that are based directly or indirectly on TRACE observations. A few more TRACE images, and a story on the explosive solar corona, can be found in the April 2006 issue of Sky and Telescope (cover page). 2200x1400 pixel collage; 1100x700 pixel collage; html composite (resizable for layout).