Tag Archives: Solar flare

Stunning time-lapse photo of Sun shows sunspots at their peak

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An amateur astrophotographer, Şenol Şanlı, based in Bursa, Turkey, created this captivating new image of the Sun using data from NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory. The photo, which was shared on his Instagram account on January 3, is a combination of photographs taken between December 2 and December 27, 2022.

It features two bands of shape-shifting sunspot clusters, belonging to two particularly large sunspot groups – A3176 and A3153 – situated in the northern and southern hemispheres of the Sun, respectively. Both groups are seen moving from east to west in the image. Şanlı has digitally removed other visible sunspots on the Sun’s surface during this period, allowing the observer to closely track the subtle changes in these sunspot groups over time.

What are sunspots?

Sunspots are dark, cold, planet-size regions on the surface of the Sun. They arise due to disturbances in the Sun’s magnetic field, which can generate energetic solar events like solar flares and coronal mass ejections.

During December 2022, more than 113 sunspots were detected- the highest number recorded since December 2014. This total represents a significant increase compared to the average monthly count of 73.3 sunspots observed throughout the rest of the year before December.

The increase in sunspot activity results from the Sun entering a more active phase of its 11-year solar cycle, which is expected to reach its peak in 2025. Scientists have already recorded an increase in the frequency and strength of solar storms in 2022. If the number of sunspots remains high or increases further, 2023 will be even more active in terms of solar activity.

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A hyperactive sunspot to result in solar flares

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Images taken of the sun on December 4 by Eduardo Schaberger Poupeau, an astrophotographer, revealed five significant sunspots and two filaments of magnetism facing Earth. “In the southeast limb, we see an extensive prominence, also in the southern hemisphere, but within the disk, we can see the active region AR3153 that contains sunspots of a significant size, we also see a very extensive filament,” Poupeau told Spaceweather.com. 

According to Nasa, a solar flare is described as an “intense burst of radiation coming from the release of magnetic energy associated with sunspots.” It is considered to be the largest explosive event in our solar system. “They are seen as bright areas in the sun and they can last from minutes to hours.”

Do all solar flares reach Earth? 

The activity on the solar surface impacts earth only when it takes place on the side of the sun facing Earth. Since the flares are made of photons, their visibility can lead to direct impact. 

The cause of such flares can be attributed to sunspots, “which are dark areas on the solar surface, contain strong magnetic fields that are constantly shifting”. When these fields quickly dissipate their stored energy, it can lead to the formation of solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs). For reference, a “moderate-sized sunspot is about as large as the Earth”. 

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