Sunspot Region 30
Explanation:
The solar active region
designated number 0030 is now
appearing
on the visible hemisphere of the
closest star.
Dwarfed by the Sun's disk, the group
of sunspots which
make up region 30 actually cover an enormous area -- nearly 10
times the size of Earth.
The panels above were recorded July 15, 16, and 17 (top to bottom)
by the MDI instrument on the space-based
SOHO
Observatory
as the solar rotation slowly carried the large, dynamic
sunspot
group across the
Sun's nearside.
On July 15, a powerful
solar
flare erupted from this region followed by a coronal mass ejection.
The energetic cloud of electrically charged particles swept past
our fair planet
yesterday, and as a result enhanced
auroral activity is possible.
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
