What does a sunspot look like?

keir · Post by **keir** » Mon Sep 19, 2011 4:56 am

Sun spots appear black presumably just because of the intensity contract with its surrounds.
Has anyone imaged a sunspot....is it possible?

Ann · Post by **Ann** » Mon Sep 19, 2011 6:06 am

Sunspots aren't black, just cooler than the rest of the Sun's photosphere. Most of the photosphere of the Sun is about 5,800 Kelvin, whereas the sunspots are at least a thousand degrees cooler.

Sunspots are created due to magnetic activity in the Sun, but you will have to ask Chris or neufer (for example) for more details!

Ann

bystander · Post by **bystander** » Mon Sep 19, 2011 9:30 am

keir wrote:Has anyone imaged a sunspot....is it possible?

APOD: A Sharp View of the Sun (2011 Sep 18)
http://asterisk.apod.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=25301

neufer · Post by **neufer** » Mon Sep 19, 2011 3:18 pm

bystander wrote:
keir wrote:
Has anyone imaged a sunspot....is it possible?
APOD: A Sharp View of the Sun (2011 Sep 18)
http://asterisk.apod.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=25301

I think keir means: has anybody zeroed in to image the dark central core of a sunspot?
(Sort of a reverse coronagraph.)

geckzilla · Post by **geckzilla** » Tue Oct 18, 2011 4:59 am

I guess it would be interesting if we could actually see the structure within the sunspot. It isn't very clear from even the most detailed photos what's going on down there.

Sunspots happen to be two of my favorite APODs.
http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap090405.html and http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap101102.html

Starship Asterisk*

What does a sunspot look like?

What does a sunspot look like?

Re: What does a sunspot look like?

Re: What does a sunspot look like?

Re: What does a sunspot look like?

Re: What does a sunspot look like?