Astronomy Picture of the Day
Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer.
2002 August 1
Posted on 08/01/2002 12:01:51 AM PDT by sleavelessinseattle
Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer.
2002 August 1
Explanation: July was a good month for sunspots ... really big sunspots. In fact, the full disk and inset pictures above show three large groups of spots, photographed only a few days ago on July 28. Together the sunspots span a region about thirty times the diameter of planet Earth. Now rotating behind the Sun's visible edge, these groups followed close on the heels of another enormous sunspot group which appeared in mid July. All of July's monster sunspot groups could be viewed without magnification, using safe solar observing methods of course. While individual sunspots are not numbered or cataloged, groups of sunspots, designated solar active regions, are given consecutive numbers as they appear on the visible solar disk. That numbering began on January 5, 1972 and on June 14, 2002, reached active region number 10,000. At the 10k mark no door prizes were given and no disasters plagued our fair solar system. But since June 14, active region reports often drop at least the leading digit, making these three active regions AR 0050, AR 0039, and AR 0044 (top left to bottom right).
All righty, Sleavester! No broken links that I can detect.
You pass the APOD test! Now you and mtngrl@vrwc get to fight over the privelege of posting this Aug. 12-17! Be nice, kiddies, and SHARE! 3 days each, unless someone wants LESS!
Bah to posting @ 4 AM!
The sun does not rotate as a solid object. Its polar regions complete a rotation more slowly than does its equator. The equatorial regions (latitude = 0 degrees) rotate in about 25.6 days. The regions at 60 degrees latitude rotate in about 30.9 days. Polar regions rotate in about 36 days.
Oh wait! Sorry! I think I am on the wrong thread. &;-)
Neither do I ...
Special High speed photography has established that 2Trievers Dog Kimber's head can rotate a full 360 degrees right before it chews on her antique cabinet's legs...Then it barks just like Linda blair in the exorcist...I think its affected by Solar wind...
If I wake up to APOD tomorrow morning and I see "ALL YOUR MORPHEMES ARE BELONG TO US," I think I'll cry.
Which one of you is the linguistic geographer? Maybe a cartographer can help! &;-)
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