NEVER LOOK AT THE SUN DIRECTLY. Please click here for solar observing safely.
A super image of our Sun taken by member Jim Burchell on the morning of the 4th October 2024. As you can see the Sun was very active with many sunspots including sunspot AR3842. The 2nd photo has the sunspots labelled.
Jim wrote ”The images show Sunspot AR3842 which released two X-class solar flares (X7.1 and X9.1) and a series of M-class flares.”
This means Sunspot AR3842 has produced the strongest solar flare of Solar Cycle 25 so far. NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory recorded the X9.1-category blast.
Jim acquired his image using a Pentax KP body attached to a 102 mm F11 refactor; 1/320 sec; iso 100 and a Baader Astrosolar Safety film was used.
