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FADING SUNSPOT:
New sunspot 1015 emerged yesterday to break a string of 25 consecutive
spotless days. It was a short break. Less than 24 hours after it
appeared, the tiny sunspot is already fading away.
SURGING PROMINENCE:
Every clear day, astrophotographer Pete
Lawrence of Selsey, UK, scans the limb of the sun for photogenic
prominences. "This morning I spotted a rather odd looking one,"
he says. "I've never seen anything quite like it before."
This photo shows the view through his SolarScope SF-70:
The twisting, swirling maelstrom underwent many
changes in the hours that followed Lawrence's first sighting.
"At one point I could see real time movement on my computer
screen," he says. "It was amazing!"
Apparently, even the quiet sun has something to offer. If you have
a solar telescope, take a look.
VENUSIAN ECLIPSE:
Earlier today, people in western parts of
North America witnessed an eclipse of Venus by the crescent Moon.
Venus was half-covered when Rich
Swanson of Sierra Vista, Arizona, took this picture:
Photo details: Canon
20Dh, Stellarvue 102ED, 1/800 sec, ISO 400
"The sun was rising quickly, but who cares!" says Swanson.
"The eclipse was visible in daylight."
Hours later, Venus and the Moon are still close together. Readers,
if the sun is shining where you live, go outside and look west of
the sun for the crescent Moon. Found it? Scan the sky nearby for
Venus. Binoculars help, but if you use optics, be sure the dangerously-bright
sun is hidden behind a hill or tall building. Venus and the Moon
are pretty, but you wouldn't want them to be the last thing you
ever see.
more images: from
Jeff Stone at NASA's Mission Control parking lot in Houston,
TX; from
Ron Wayman of Tampa, Florida; from
Thad V'Soske of Grand Valley, Colorado; from
Mark Staples of Waldo, Florida; from
Steve Riegel of Santa Maria, CA; from
Barbara Harris of New Smyrna Beach, FL; from
William Robb of Phoenix, Arizona; from
Pete Lawrence of Selsey, West Sussex, UK; from
Delores Browning of Rocksprings, Texas; from
Peter Lardizabal of St Johns, Florida; from
James Champagne of Baton Rouge, Louisiana; from
Chuck Morlan of Frenchglen, Oregon; from
William Robb of Phoenix, Arizona;
April
2009 Aurora Gallery
[previous Aprils: 2008,
2007, 2006,
2005, 2004,
2003, 2002]
Explore
the Sunspot Cycle
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