Solar Rotation Nos: 2212 – 2213
Here are the solar highlights of January 2019 together with a selection of images.
Sunspots
As we started the New Year, the Sun was still going through an extended spotless period, one which started on the 17th December and was just about to come to an end.
AR2732 appeared on the 2nd just west of the Central Meridian (CM) at latitude +10°. This small Bxo type sunspot group of 3 spots was an old Cycle 24 sunspot. There was no flare activity, but the sunspot group did develop a little on the 3rd and 4th ending up as type Cao. Beyond that AR2732 then decayed and was gone by the 8th.
The Sun was then spotless from the 8th to the 22nd.
AR2733 appeared on the 22nd between the east limb and the CM. It too was from Cycle 24 and at latitude +06°. It was type Cro on that day. AR2733 then developed gradually so that by the 25th it was type Dro with 9 spots and by the 27th it had grown to 16 spots and was type Dsi. It was also minor solar flare active and on the 26th produced a small solar flare at 1322UT. As AR2733 approached the west limb of the Sun, from the 28th to the 31st, it was still minor flare active but appeared to be slowly decaying as it did so.
SPA Sunspot Mean Daily Frequency (MDF): 0.32 (was 0.06)
SPA Relative Sunspot Number: 5.13 (was 1.01)
Solar Prominences, Plage, Filaments and Flares
Most of the prominences seen were small and quiet in nature.
A detached prominence was seen on the SE limb on the 9th.
The NE limb showed two lovely arch prominences on the 27th and AR2733 showed extensive plage and filament activity especially on the 28th as it neared the west limb of the Sun.
A number of small interesting prominences were seen along the east and west limbs on the 31st
SPA Prominence Mean Daily Frequency (MDF): 1.09 (was 1.67)
Despite low Sun and cloudy skies, well done to Brian Gordon-States who observed 23 days, and to Alan Heath and Jonathan Shanklin who both observed 17 days.
Detailed count records of Active Regions and Relative Sunspot Numbers came from: Brian Gordon-States, Michael Fullerton, Alan Heath, Ian Lee, Jonathan Shanklin and Bob Steele.
Images and drawings were supplied by: Carl Bowron, Ian Lee and Cliff Meredith.
Geoff Elston