Starship Asterisk*

Sunspot Group AR 2192 Crackles

Explanation: One of the largest sunspot groups in recent years is now crossing the Sun. Labelled Active Region 2192, it has already thrown a powerful solar flare and has the potential to produce more. The featured video shows a time lapse sequence of the Sun in visible and ultraviolet light taken yesterday and incorporating the previous 48 hours. AR 2192, rotating in from the left, rivals Jupiter in size and is literally crackling with magnetic energy. The active Sun has caused some spectacular auroras in recent days, and energetic particles originating from AR 2192 may help continue them over the next week. Tomorrow, the Sun will appear unusual for even another reason: a partial solar eclipse will be visible before sunset from much of North America.

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Disco in the daytime!

impresionante. la mancha que viene por el limbo, arriba, también parece grande
awesome. sunspot by coming limbo, above, also looks great

I see the same magnetic lightining "sparks" on the left edge of the sun as it rotates into view. Several of them extend quite a distance from the surface as viewed at the edge of the disc, leading me to ask: How far do these extend out and what are the electrical charges generated by this sunspot?

Great video and informative links. Thanks APOD for "brightening" our day.

Nice video.....He's so bright, his father called him..."SUN".....

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Oh, brother!

Beyond wrote:Oh, brother!

Beyond - you may have said that too soon. Neil – please forgive but a word like "crackling" just brings your song to mind for today's APOD. (Diamond that is !!) Sorry about the lyric changes, yours are much more memorable. But I had fun with this today.

"Cracklin' Sol"

Aw ,Cracklin' Sol, get on board
You're goin' to shine till there ain't no more
You're puttin' on a show
Sol, don't you know
How great you make wine from our favorite vine -it's fun when you dine
Lord don't you know it's how the world goes and gets along in time

Hitchin' on a twilight rain
Ain't nothing there that makes us be-ware
Of fall ions
That strum the world's song
We don't need to say please when the violet proceeds
To curtain the poles
Away with our souls
Aurora goes up when they come down – Yah !

Oh, I love my solar child
You gotta way to make me smile
And you and me, we will go out in style
Cracklin' Sol, you are all the gas
That makes me feel fine as wine
Until when our world
Unfurls it's sails
And heads out into the universal abyss

Cracklin' Sol, you have on a smiley face
Sun, if you blast out our way
We'll be steamin' some day
But it stands now, we've got the Sun
Perfectly in our sight
'less it scorches us
At just the right place
Sol send us the beam that only answers our - wildest dreams - Yah!

Just had a look at it with some solar filter glasses. AR 2192 is indeed enormous!