Our Sun: Sunspot Activity Jan.-June 2023 | NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory

Our Sun: Sunspot Activity Jan.-June 2023 | NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory

Why is our Sun so active now? No one is certain. An increase in surface activity was expected because our Sun is approaching solar maximum in 2025. However, last month our Sun sprouted more sunspots than in any month during the entire previous 11-year solar cycle—even dating back to 2002. The picture is a composite of images taken every day from January to June 2023 by NASA's Solar Dynamic Observatory. 

Showing a high abundance of sunspots, large individual spots can be tracked across the Sun's disk, left to right, over about two weeks. As a solar cycle continues, sunspots typically appear closer to the equator. Sunspots are just one way that our Sun displays surface activity. NASA also tracks solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs) that expel particles out into the Solar System. Since these particles can affect astronauts and electronics, we most closely monitor these surface disturbances. Conversely, solar activity can have very high aesthetic value in the Earth's atmosphere when they trigger aurora.

Image Credit: NASA, Solar Dynamic Observatory (SDO)

Processing & Image Copyright: Şenol Şanlı

Şenol's website:

https://www.instagram.com/snlsanli/

Release Date: July 11, 2023

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