2006-08-21

New sunspot coming into view

Today has generally been cloudy but I've just had a brief clear spell so I took the Solarscope out to do a quick sunspot count.

I could only see a single, large spot in AA904 (which was now very close to the limb of the Sun).

I had quite a surprise when I noticed, right on the opposite limb of the Sun (to the point that it seemed to be right on the limb), a spot that appeared about as big as the one in AA904. I've checked on Spaceweather and with Solar Weather Browser but I've yet to find an ID for the area.

I think this is the first time I've caught a sunspot before an ID has been published on the popular solar weather sites.

File Under: Sun, Solar Observing, Sunspots, Active Area 904.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Amusingly I think there's a `?' on the image on the front page of http://www.spaceweather.com/ atm too...

Dave Pearson said...

Yeah, I did notice that. That's pretty much what had me accepting that it was a spot rather than a bad observation on my part.

Anonymous said...

Good call on the new sunspot sighting.Spaceweather.com may call it 905 but,I will call it DaveP's!!.