Another solar temper tantrum sends a strong X-class flare toward Earth

On the 16th, I was viewing the Sun and did notice two very large sunspot regions moving into view on the NE limb. At the time, spaceweather.com did not have an AR or active region number posted. Now this group is a good view, from the 16th, my log. [Observed 1200-1300 EDT/1600-1700 UT. I used my 90-mm refractor telescope with TeleVue 32-mm plossl for 31x views using glass, white light solar filter. Celestron #12 Yellow and #23A red filters used too. Some easy and very good views of the Sun and sunspots today. AR2990 showed 4 distinct small dark cores, AR2989 one distinct small core, AR2991 a dark core almost earth size with much plage area. There are two much larger dark core sunspots emerging near the solar limb and need a number assigned. They are larger than earth size sunspots with plage areas visible. Spaceweather.com reports "THE BIG SUNSPOTS HAVE ARRIVED: An active sunspot group is emerging over the sun's northeastern limb. There are at least two dark cores larger than Earth, with a possibility of more spots trailing behind. This sunspot group has been very active, hurling CMEs and plumes of plasma over the edge of the sun." My telescope view resolved to 9.6 arcsecond size on the Sun, Earth size on the Sun ~ 17.5 arcsecond. The Sun’s angular size ~ 31.89 arcminute. Telescope true FOV ~ 96 arcminute. Some cirrus moved by the FOV quickly while I observed. Sunny skies, temperature 22C, winds SW/15 knots.]
 
  • Like
Reactions: Catastrophe

Latest posts