Monster sunspot

The cloudy weather we've been having here in Cambridge these past few weeks have masked the fact that, for the past week, we have been experiencing probably the most powerful series of solar flares from the Sun this year. NASA has classed these as M-class solar flares - medium-strength sun storms that can unleash powerful blasts of radiation and magnetic solar plasma. The source of these solar flares are what NASA have dubbed "a monster sunspot" - a huge sunspot 60,000 miles in width which NASA have designated Sunspot AR 1476. This Saturday was the first really clear day this month, so I dusted the cobwebs off my long-neglected refractor and pointed her at the sun. This is what I saw:

Sunspot AR 1476 is that smudge a little off-centre on the left limb of the Sun. Now, it may well look like just a little smudge but bear in mind that it's at least 60,000 miles long - that's 8 times the diameter of the planet Earth!

Increasing the magnification of the scope with the equivalent of a 6mm eyepiece reveals a little more of the sunspot. The dark core (umbra) surrounded by a larger lighter filamentary outer region (penumbra) are clearly visible.

Increase the magnification with a 2X Barlow even more and you'll see that there are about half a dozen smaller dark penumbrae radiating around the central core.

On the scale of solar flares, the M-class storms produced by AR 1476 are the second-most powerful flares and can set off geomagnetic storms that create dazzling northern lights displays when the eruptions reach Earth. X-class storms are the most powerful on the scale and can interfere with satellites and infrastructure such as electrical power transmission on Earth when aimed at our planet. But don't worry - the flares are apparently short-lived and not expected to disrupt satellite communications or take down power lines, so you should be able to enjoy your daily fix of Coronation Street and East Enders uninterrupted.

The sun is currently in an active phase of its 11-year solar weather cycle. The current cycle, known as Solar Cycle 24, will peak in 2013. So you still have another year to get yourself a telescope and a solar filter and enjoy the breath-taking sight of deadly solar radiation and plasma spewing millions of miles straight towards you!

All photographs on this page  © Sabri Zain 2012.