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“There’s a little black spot on the sun today”

By Robert Trembley  |  13 Apr 2016

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The Sun on 13 Apr. 2016, showing Sunspot AR2529. Image courtesy of NASA/SDO and the AIA, EVE, and HMI science teams. The Sun on 13 Apr. 2016, showing Sunspot AR2529. Image courtesy of NASA/SDO and the AIA, EVE, and HMI science teams.

Sunspot AR2529 (“AR” = Active Region) is anything but little – you could fit the entire Earth inside it! It’s so large, it can be seen using solar filter glasses – without any magnification!

It’s surprising to see such a large sunspot at this time, as the solar cycle has past solar maximum, and the Sun’s activity has been steadily decreasing; sunspots have been infrequent in recent months.

Amateur astronomers have been targeting the sunspot, and producing some spectacular images:

AR2529 and Earth Scale Comparison. Credit: JP-Brahic AR2529 and Earth Scale Comparison. Credit: JP-Brahic (G+ Post)
AR2529 by Craig Howman (Facebook poat) AR2529 by Craig Howman (Facebook post)
AR2529 by Gary Palmer. (Facebook Post) AR2529 by Gary Palmer. (Facebook Post)

SpaceWeather.com says: “a minor CME from sunspot AR2529 could deliver a glancing blow to Earth’s magnetic field. Such an impact would add to the effect of the solar wind stream, already here. NOAA forecasters estimate a 70% chance of more G1-class geomagnetic storms on April 13th.”

Animated GIF showing coronal activity from April 11-13, 2016. Image courtesy of NASA/SDO and the AIA, EVE, and HMI science teams. Animated GIF showing coronal activity around AR2529 from April 11-13, 2016. Image courtesy of NASA/SDO and the AIA, EVE, and HMI science teams.

See more images of the Sun NOW: http://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/data/
Read More: http://www.universetoday.com/128325/huge-sunspot-turns-earthward/

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