This STEREO image of the Sun in extreme ultraviolet light (June 9-10, 2007) showcases a string of active regions near the Sun's equator. We see several active regions (brighter areas with the loops above them) that were lined up as they approached the edge of the Sun.
The fastest coronal mass ejection was recorded on August 4, 1972 and traveled from the sun to earth in 14.6 hours - a speed of nearly 10 million kilometers per hour!