Wanna-be Sunspots (October 3, 2008)

Hi-res TIF image (1.7M)

MPEG Movie: Large (4.7M)
Quicktime Movie: Large ( 13M), Small (945K)

Two active regions emerged at about the same time for day or so as observed by SOHO in extreme UV light (Sept. 29 - Oct. 1, 2008). They grew in brightness (which indicates intensity), but then both soon faded away by October 1 before they achieving the status of being called numbered sunspots. At least one of them had the magnetic orientation of a sunspot belonging to the new solar cycle, but they were not large or strong enough make it to that level. We are always on the lookout for new sunspots since the Sun has been so quiet for so long. Some of us here thought that for these two regions, we had something more significant developing. Maybe next week!

SOHO began its Weekly Pick some time after sending a weekly image or video clip to the American Museum of Natural History (Rose Center) in New York City. There, the SOHO Weekly Pick is displayed with some annotations on a large plasma display.

If your institution would also like to receive the same Weekly Pick from us for display (usually in Photoshop or QuickTime format), please send your inquiry to steele.hill@gsfc.nasa.gov.