Solar Rotation Nos: 2218 – 2219
The Sun is at solar minimum. There were two very small sunspot groups later in the month. Both were near the solar equator and of the old Sunspot Cycle No. 24.
Here are the solar highlights for June 2019 together with a selection of images.
Sunspots
No sunspots were seen from the 1st to the 25th.In total including the previous month, the Sun was spotless for 36 consecutive days.
AR2742 appeared on the 25th. This tiny Axx type sunspot was just above the solar equator at latitude +04°. It did not last long and had disappeared by the following day.
AR2743 also appeared on the 25th, very close to AR2742. This too was type Axx and was just on the northern hemisphere at latitude +03°. This sunspot lasted until the 29th when the Sun almost became spotless once again. A hint of a sunspot appeared briefly on the 29th. It had gone by the 30th.
SPA Sunspot Mean Daily Frequency (MDF): 0.71 (was 0.71).
SPA Relative Sunspot Number: 8.33 (was 8.33).
Solar Prominences, Plage, Filaments and Flares
Despite the very low sunspot activity there were some nice prominences and filaments throughout the month. On the 2nd there was a lovely tall arch-type prominence on the west limb and a smaller dimmer broken arch-type prominence on the north east limb.
The 28th saw a beautiful flame-like prominence on the south east limb, in contrast to the usual much smaller prominences seen recently. While on the 30th there were some pillar-like prominences on the north limb.
No solar flares were reported.
SPA Prominence Mean Daily Frequency (MDF): 2.95 (was 2.93).
Well done to Brian Gordon-States who observed 30 days, he was followed closely by Jonathan Shanklin, 26 days, and Michael Fullerton, 23 days.
Detailed count records of Active Regions and Relative Sunspot Numbers came from: Brian Gordon-States, Michael Fullerton, Alan Heath, Mick Jenkins, Ian Lee, Jonathan Shanklin and Bob Steele.
Images and drawings were supplied by: Carl Bowron, Ian Lee and Cliff Meredith.
Geoff Elston
Director