The Return of AR 10649, 2004/8/10

[Dave Mitsky]

AR 10649, also known as Sunspot 649, has survived a solar round trip. This complex group was visible back in July and can be seen rather easily without optical aid.

I had a look at it on Tuesday afternoon using my polymer eclipse shades and my 114mm f/7.9 Celestron C4.5 Newtonian and a Vixen zoom eyepiece using the 24, 16, 12, and 8mm settings. Through the telescope the group had a roughly triangular shape. Also present was the small sunspot AR 10657.

An image is available at the spaceweather.com site.

Dave Mitsky

[om@umr.edu]

Thanks, Dave, for the update on this sunspot.

I vaguely recall reading that the Sun's activity is higher than at anytime over the past 1000 years.

Have you seen any papers relating the Sun's current high activity with unusual weather here on Earth?

With kind regards,

Oliver
http://www.umr.edu/~om