drumbo
08-30-06, 02:00 PM
http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/image/0608/reversesunspot_soho.jpg (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/image/0608/reversesunspot_soho_big.gif) A Backward Sunspot and the New Solar Cycle
Credit: MDI (http://soi.stanford.edu/), SOHO (http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/), ESA (http://www.esrin.esa.it/), NASA (http://www.nasa.gov/)
Explanation: Why is sunspot 905 backwards? Perhaps it is a key marker for the beginning of a new magnetic cycle on our Sun (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_cycle). Every 11 years, our Sun goes through a magnetic cycle (http://csep10.phys.utk.edu/astr162/lect/sun/magnetic.html), at the end of which its overall magnetic orientation (http://solarphysics.livingreviews.org/open?pubNo=lrsp-2005-1&page=articlesu11.html) is reversed. An 11-year solar cycle has been observed for hundreds of years by noting peaks and valleys in the average number of sunspots (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap051106.html). Just now, the Sun is near Solar Minimum (http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2004/18oct_solarminimum.htm), and likely to start a long progression toward the most active time, called Solar Maximum (http://www-istp.gsfc.nasa.gov/istp/outreach/solarmax/), in about 5.5 years. An indicator that the sun's magnetic field is reversing is the appearance of sunspots with the reverse magnetic polarity than normal. A few weeks ago, one small candidate reverse sunspot (http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2006/15aug_backwards.htm) was sited but faded quickly. Now, however, a larger sunspot with negative polarity is being tracked. This sunspot, numbered 905, appears as the unusual white spot in the above magnetic image (http://mdisas.nascom.nasa.gov/gif_summary/mag/smdi_maglc_fd_20060825_1117.gif) of the Sun taken with the SOHO spacecraft (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_and_Heliospheric_Observatory) a few days ago. In the past few days, Sunspot 905 (http://spaceweather.com/) has actually begun to break apart and might also become the source of coronal mass ejections (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap000309.html) and explosive solar flares (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap060502.html). Solar astronomers predict that the coming Solar Maximum (http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2006/10mar_stormwarning.htm) will be unusually active.
Source (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap060830.html)
Credit: MDI (http://soi.stanford.edu/), SOHO (http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/), ESA (http://www.esrin.esa.it/), NASA (http://www.nasa.gov/)
Explanation: Why is sunspot 905 backwards? Perhaps it is a key marker for the beginning of a new magnetic cycle on our Sun (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_cycle). Every 11 years, our Sun goes through a magnetic cycle (http://csep10.phys.utk.edu/astr162/lect/sun/magnetic.html), at the end of which its overall magnetic orientation (http://solarphysics.livingreviews.org/open?pubNo=lrsp-2005-1&page=articlesu11.html) is reversed. An 11-year solar cycle has been observed for hundreds of years by noting peaks and valleys in the average number of sunspots (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap051106.html). Just now, the Sun is near Solar Minimum (http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2004/18oct_solarminimum.htm), and likely to start a long progression toward the most active time, called Solar Maximum (http://www-istp.gsfc.nasa.gov/istp/outreach/solarmax/), in about 5.5 years. An indicator that the sun's magnetic field is reversing is the appearance of sunspots with the reverse magnetic polarity than normal. A few weeks ago, one small candidate reverse sunspot (http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2006/15aug_backwards.htm) was sited but faded quickly. Now, however, a larger sunspot with negative polarity is being tracked. This sunspot, numbered 905, appears as the unusual white spot in the above magnetic image (http://mdisas.nascom.nasa.gov/gif_summary/mag/smdi_maglc_fd_20060825_1117.gif) of the Sun taken with the SOHO spacecraft (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_and_Heliospheric_Observatory) a few days ago. In the past few days, Sunspot 905 (http://spaceweather.com/) has actually begun to break apart and might also become the source of coronal mass ejections (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap000309.html) and explosive solar flares (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap060502.html). Solar astronomers predict that the coming Solar Maximum (http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2006/10mar_stormwarning.htm) will be unusually active.
Source (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap060830.html)