The subject is investigated with flow visualization techniques; the turbulent boundary layer on the wall of a continuous supersonic wind tunnel is used. Sizeable separated flow regions can be studied since the wall width is 38cm and the boundary layer is typically 2.5cm thick. The large scale of the experiment is required to resolve the fine details of the flow structure. The flow visualization techniques are discussed. The structure of the separated flow upstream of the obstacle is seen to change with relatively small changes in Reynolds number R; the number of vortices varies from 6 to 4 to 2 as R changes. Data are presented for large and small protuberances, but the latter are emphasized.