Two Impressive Sunspot Groups

[Peter Meadows]

Although there are fewer sunspot groups during the current declining phase of Solar Cycle 25, there is a tendency for more larger groups. After a period with few medium or large sunspot groups, we now have two impressive groups.
The bipolar group AR 14478 started to appear around the solar limb on June 24. Its size has increased slightly since then and is currently around 2,000 millionths of the Sun’s visible hemisphere (MSH). A more active group, AR 14479, to the north-west of AR 14478, has developed rapidly over the last few days and has doubled in size over the past day to about 800 MSH. It is these rapidly developing groups that tend to produce the most solar flares.
These groups are near, or approaching, the central meridian and will remain visible for the next week or so.
As always, only use safe solar observing techniques.

• This topic was modified 8 hours, 49 minutes ago by Peter Meadows.
• This topic was modified 8 hours, 47 minutes ago by Peter Meadows.

[Mike Harlow]

Thanks Peter,
Both groups are visible through eclipse glasses. 4478 clearly shows two spots while 4479 is smaller and near my ‘naked-eye’ limit. Worth a look…
Mike.

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