January 28, 2021 on 11:56 am | In Uncategorized | Comments Off

Clear skies with below average seeing.  AR2797 is still visible approaching the western limb. A new Region has been named, AR2800. This time in the northern hemisphere. Another plage can be observed near the meridian also in the northern hemisphere.  A number of  nice prominences were also visible on the eastern limb. Images today of the mentioned areas as well as full disk images.

2021-01-28-1440_4-TR-540nm-AR2797-AR2800.jpg 2021-01-28-1448_1-TR-Ha-AR2797-AR2800.jpg 2021-01-28-1454_5-TR-CaK-AR2797-2800.jpg

2021-01-28-1442_3-TR-540nm-AR2797.jpg 2021-01-28-1449_8-TR-Ha-AR2797.jpg 2021-01-28-1456_3-TR-CaK-AR2797.jpg

2021-01-28-1443_0-TR-540nm-AR2800.jpg 2021-01-28-1450_3-TR-Ha-AR2800.jpg 2021-01-28-1457_1-TR-CaK-AR2800.jpg

2021-01-28-1450_6-TR-Ha-Plage.jpg 2021-01-28-1458_7-TR-CaK-Plage.jpg

January 23, 2021 on 12:11 pm | In Sun | Comments Off

Clear skies with many contrails for below average seeing.  In the meantime we have three active regions, AR2799 popped up yesterday in the NW quadrant. Also a new plage is visible near the NE limb.  Today full disk images and close ups of the mentioned regions.

2021-01-23-1452_0-TR-540nm-AR2797-98-99.jpg 2021-01-23-1506_5-TR-Ha-AR2797-98-99.jpg 2021-01-23-1512_3-TR-CaK-AR2797-98-99.jpg

2021-01-23-1453_9-TR-540nm-AR2797-98.jpg 2021-01-23-1508_3-TR-Ha-AR2797-98.jpg 2021-01-23-1514_2-TR-CaK-AR2797-98.jpg

2021-01-23-1454_4-TR-540nm-AR2799.jpg 2021-01-23-1508_7-TR-Ha-AR2799.jpg 2021-01-23-1515_0-TR-CaK-AR2799.jpg

2021-01-23-1509_2-TR-Ha-EmergRegn.jpg 2021-01-23-1515_9-TR-CaK-EmergArea.jpg

January 23, 2021 on 9:23 am | In Papers | Comments Off

I was asked if it was true that it seemed that Cycle 25 activity ramped up faster than previous rotations.  In order to try to shed some light into this, I am providing two graphs. It is noted here that each graph, while created by me, is based on data provided in the daily GEOalert notifications from NOAA’s Spaceweather Prediction Center (SWPC). Clicking on the graphs here will show the full size graphs for better viewing.   Each graph shows the value of the sum of all daily active region areas for a  Rotation  since January 1, 2008 (Blue lines, mostly in the middle, with their scale on the left).  Also shown is the number of spotless days.  (red lines at the side with the scale on the right). The difference between the two graphs is that one of them shows the number of consecutive spotless days at the end of this spotless period (Streak).

The second graph shows the number of spotless days by ROTATION at the last day of the rotation  The number of these days reported by the size of the bars in this graph, don’t have to be consecutive, but the reported value is shown for an equal time period  for all (one rotation).  The Minimum for Cycle 23/24 (Beginning of Cycle 24) was in December of 2008.  The Minimum for Cycle 24/25 (Beginning of Cycle 25) was during December of 2019, giving a cycle duration of 11 years. It is clearly seen that the blue lines (indicating Solar Activity) don’t start showing in 2009, one year following the minimum , but this cannot be said for 2020, a year after the next minimum.  We surely see noticeable activity during the end of 2020. In addition, the Total Active Region Areas by Rotation show a higher value now than during the beginning of the previous solar minimum.  In fact the Total Active Region Area by Rotation did not exceed 5000 millionths until August 9, 2010, or 20 months after the previous minimum.  For the current Cycle, November 27, 2020 marks the first time where the 5000 millionths barrier was broken, and by well over 1000 millionths, which is only 11 months.  So to summarize the results so far, Cycle 25 seems to gain in activity much faster than Cycle 24 did.  We are eager to learn if this fast ramp up will continue.

January 20, 2021 on 1:45 pm | In Sun | Comments Off

Clear skies with some thin clouds and below average seeing conditions.  The old plage AR2796 has completely decayed.  AR2797 shows some B-class activity.  The rest seems pretty stable.  Today images of the same areas I imaged in the last few days.

2021-01-20-1552_0-TR-540nm-AR2797.jpg 2021-01-20-1600_7-TR-Ha-AR2797.jpg 2021-01-20-1606_7-TR-CaK-AR2797.jpg

2021-01-20-1556_3-TR-540nm-AR2797.jpg 2021-01-20-1602_4-TR-Ha-AR2797.jpg 2021-01-20-1609_6-TR-CaK-AR2797.jpg

2021-01-20-1603_5-TR-Ha-Plage2797.jpg 2021-01-20-1608_4-TR-CaK-RestOf2796.jpg

2021-01-20-1602_8-TR-Ha-Filam.jpg 2021-01-20-1602_9-TR-Ha-SFilam.jpg

January 19, 2021 on 12:45 pm | In Sun | Comments Off

Clear skies again with average seeing.  The old AR2796 has even further decayed and the plage is very much breaking apart.  AR2797 has increased and now covers an area of 120 millionths.  The 2 filaments are still there but one of them has decayed some.  Today full disk images as well as close ups of the mentioned areas.

2021-01-19-1511_3-TR-AR2797.jpg 2021-01-19-1520_1-TR-Ha-AR2797.jpg 2021-01-19-1529_4-TR-CaK-AR2797.jpg

2021-01-19-1513_4-TR-540nm-AR2797.jpg 2021-01-19-1522_4-TR-Ha-AR2797.jpg 2021-01-19-1532_0-TR-CaK-AR2797.jpg

2021-01-19-1522_9-TR-Ha-PlageAR2796.jpg 2021-01-19-1533_1-TR-CaK-Plage2796.jpg

2021-01-19-1524_3-TR-Ha-filam.jpg 2021-01-19-1523_9-TR-Ha-Filam.jpg

January 18, 2021 on 1:12 pm | In Sun | Comments Off

Clear Skies with good seeing.  The pores from a few days ago were very unstable and decayed very fast but a region AR2796 emerged a day later some further South-West from the location.  This area, AR2796 was also relative unstable and has decayed in the meantime to a plage.  However, a new Hsx area has turned onto the visible disk at the Eastern limb and measures 90 millionths with 2 spots. Today full disk images and close ups of the mentioned regions as well as a few nice filaments in the Southern hemisphere.

2021-01-18-1505_1-TR-540nm-AR2796-97.jpg 2021-01-18-1513_4-TR-Ha-AR2796-97.jpg 2021-01-18-1519_8-TR-CaK-AR2796-97.jpg

2021-01-18-1508_6-TR-AR2797.jpg 2021-01-18-1516_0-TR-Ha-AR2797.jpg 2021-01-18-1522_9-TR-CaK-AR2797.jpg

2021-01-18-1516_2-TR-Ha-PlageAR2796.jpg 2021-01-18-1521_7-TR-CaK-AR2796.jpg

2021-01-18-1516_5-TR-Ha-Filam.jpg 2021-01-18-1516_7-TR-Ha-Filam2.jpg

January 14, 2021 on 11:37 am | In Sun | Comments Off

Clear skies after a long period of cloudy skies.  The Sun remains spotless today for day 11 in the current spotless streak.  Today full disk images only.

2021-01-14-1447_4-TR-540nm.jpg 2021-01-14-1450_9-TR-Ha.jpg 2021-01-14-1454_2-TR-CaK.jpg

January 13, 2021 on 2:39 pm | In Papers | Comments Off

During the ALPO meeting in the Fall of 2019 I made a presentation about solar activity since 1874.  As part of that I presented the results of my research and statistics during Solar Cycle 24.  Now, where we have entered Cycle 25, I’d like to update three of the graphs that I used in this presentation. Please click on the images to see the full size chart.  The first one shows the “Total Active Region Areas for the rotation”, and the “uninterrupted Spotless day streaks” from 2008 until current.  Here is the updated chart.

The second graph shows for the same time period the monthly Ri  (Wolf number) as reported by SILSO, as well as the number of consecutive spotless day streaks for the given period.

Finally for the same time period, I show the graph showing for every day the sum of the value of >R2 classified Flares (>M5, added as numeric values) as well as the distribution of the value of spotless day streaks.

One can clearly see the long period of spotless days of 43 days ending in December of 2019, which was determined by SWPC and SILSO as the  Solar minimum for the Cycle 24 – Cycle 25 transition.

January 5, 2021 on 12:01 pm | In Sun | Comments Off

Clear skies and good seeing for a session to observe the spotless Sun.  Some nice filaments are still to see in the southern and northern hemisphere and some nice prominences around the solar disk in Ha.  Today full disk images again.

2021-01-05-1454_8-TR-540nm-spotless.jpg 2021-01-05-1458_5-TR-Ha-spotless.jpg 2021-01-05-1501_1-TR-Ha-spotless.jpg

January 4, 2021 on 12:43 pm | In Sun | Comments Off

Clear skies today, and the next few days as well!  However, the spots have disappeared and the Sun is spotless again.  This means we are counting spotless days again. A nice prominence is showing in the NW as shown on the Ha image.  Today only full disk images in the three wavelengths.

2021-01-04-1522_4-TR-540nm-Spotless.jpg 2021-01-04-1530_1-TR-Ha-Spotless.jpg 2021-01-04-1534_8-TR-CaK-Spotless.jpg

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