An unstable magnetic filament hundreds of thousands of kilometerslong pirouetted and launched a fragment of itself into space

Space Weather News for Oct. 28, 2010
http://spaceweather.com

SUN TWISTER: Earlier today, NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO)
recorded a spectacular eruption on the sun's northeastern limb. An
unstable magnetic filament hundreds of thousands of kilometers long
pirouetted and launched a fragment of itself into space. Earth was not
in the line of fire, but the SDO movie is worth seeing anyway. Visit
http://spaceweather.com for cinema.

ASTEROID FLYBY: Asteroid 2003 UV11 will fly past Earth on Oct. 29th and
30th at a distance of only 1.2 million miles. Experienced amateur
astronomers should have little trouble photographing the 600-meter wide
space rock as it glides through the constellation Pegasus on Friday
night, glowing about as brightly as a 12th magnitude star. Observers in
North America and Europe are favored. Check http://spaceweather.com for
ephemerides and more information.