Penumbrae are the manifestation of magnetoconvection in highly inclined (to the vertical direction)
magnetic field. The penumbra of a sunspot tends to form, initially, along the arc of the umbra
antipodal to the main region of flux emergence. The question of how highly inclined magnetic field
can concentrate along the antipodal curves of umbrae, at least initially, remains to be answered.
Previous observational studies have suggested the existence of some form of overlying magnetic canopy
which acts as the progenitor for penumbrae. We propose that such overlying magnetic canopies are
a consequence of how the magnetic field emerges into the atmosphere and are, therefore, part of the
emerging region. We show, through simulations of twisted flux tube emergence, that canopies of
highly inclined magnetic field form preferentially at the required locations above the photosphere
