Some of the sun’s iconic coronal loops may be illusions
Wrinkles in the solar atmosphere might trick the eye into seeing the well-defined arches
![coronal loops, strands of plasma looping around the sun](https://i0.wp.com/www.sciencenews.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/031022_AG_coronal-loop_feat.jpg?fit=1030%2C580&ssl=1)
Some coronal loops (pictured) on the sun may not be single strands of plasma but rather optical illusions caused by “wrinkles” in the solar atmosphere, a new study suggests.
Solar Dynamics Observatory/GSFC/NASA