Sun, February 15, 2012

This image of the Sun was taken on February 15, 2012 at 2:24pm, while the Observatory was open to allow visitors to observe sunspots in white light, and prominences and filaments with a hydrogen-alpha telescope.

The Sun today features several prominences and filaments, and an interesting set of sunspots which can be seen in this hydrogen-alpha image.  To the lower right, active region AR 1416 can be seen.  Since February 8, it has been increasing dramatically in size and complexity.

To the upper left, sunspots AR 1419 and 1420 appear near the limb of the Sun.  AR 1419, the upper and fainter of the two, is actually the same as AR 1402, which on the Sun's previous rotation unleashed a series of solar flares and coronal mass ejections at the Earth.  Now greatly reduced in size, it is producing only minor flares. 

Telescope/filter: Lunt 100mm Hydrogen-alpha telescope

Camera: Lumenera SKYnyx 2-2M