Still no sunspots...

[REASON]

Wow. You could set your watch by that. I had no idea the cycle was so regular - fascinating.

 

Yes, I agree, modest.

 

I also wonder if the lesser amount of sunspots on the charts from 1880 to 1940 are actually indicative of less sunspots, or the technological ability to detect them.

 

Any ideas on that?

[Turtle]

I also wonder if the lesser amount of sunspots on the charts from 1880 to 1940 are actually indicative of less sunspots, or the technological ability to detect them.

 

Any ideas on that?

 

First, sorry for the huge butterfly! :hyper: :shrug: I have the darndest time inserting images. :doh: To the question of accuracy for the period you noted, adjacent to the Butterfly diagram is this descriptive text:

...Detailed observations of sunspots have been obtained by the Royal Greenwich Observatory since 1874. These observations include information on the sizes and positions of sunspots as well as their numbers. These data show that sunspots do not appear at random over the surface of the sun but are concentrated in two latitude bands on either side of the equator. ...

 

Of the earlier periods back to Galileo, this is given:

Early records of sunspots indicate that the Sun went through a period of inactivity in the late 17th century. Very few sunspots were seen on the Sun from about 1645 to 1715 (38 kb JPEG image). Although the observations were not as extensive as in later years, the Sun was in fact well observed during this time and this lack of sunspots is well documented.

NASA/Marshall Solar Physics

[Turtle]

Wow. You could set your watch by that. I had no idea the cycle was so regular - fascinating.

 

Or, is that an illusion of scale scope? :shrug: :hyper:

 

...Even the "normal" 11-year cycle seems to have longer-term behavior. Different cycles have different strengths, with some of them showing more sunspot activity than others. The strengths of the cycle peaks seem to follow a roughly 80-year period of very strong cycles, slightly weaker ones, then back to stronger ones, and so forth. With detailed sunspot records extending only a few hundred years, it is difficult to confirm or disprove this hypothesis. Combined with evidence for multiple periods of nearly complete inactivity, it becomes impossible to say whether the solar activity cycle, so extensively studied in the last 30 years, is normality or an aberration. ...

Maunder Minimum

[Turtle]

Nearly another month gone by since the first post here and still no spots. Well, there was 998 we looked at, but it was part of cycle #23 and dissapated. Then there was 999, but that did the same. I was going to post it and point out it's 666 if you stand on your head. :D Anyway, its gone and the Sun is blank today. >> SpaceWeather.com -- News and information about meteor showers, solar flares, auroras, and near-Earth asteroids

 

Rather than a minimum however, it may be as MoonTan suggested,

Maybe the sun is holding back and will really kick our *** with a series of huge flares in a few months or years.

: :eek: Here is an article from our Hypography archive predicting an extreme cycle 24: >> http://hypography.com/forums/astronomy-news/9636-scientists-predict-big-solar-cycle.html

 

:shrug:

[Turtle]

It's the darndest thing! Who ya gonna call? :phones:

 

DailyTech - Sun Makes History: First Spotless Month in a Century

Drop in solar activity has potential effect for climate on earth.

 

The sun has reached a milestone not seen for nearly 100 years: an entire month has passed without a single visible sunspot being noted.

 

The event is significant as many climatologists now believe solar magnetic activity – which determines the number of sunspots -- is an influencing factor for climate on earth.

...

Article Update, Sep 1 2008. After this story was published, the NOAA reversed their previous decision on a tiny speck seen Aug 21, which gives their version of the August data a half-point. Other observation centers such as Mount Wilson Observatory are still reporting a spotless month. So depending on which center you believe, August was a record for either a full century, or only 50 years. ...

[DFINITLYDISTRUBD]

Originally Posted by MoonMan

Maybe the sun is holding back and will really kick our *** with a series of huge flares in a few months or years.

That's all right...Just so long as I get a heads up when it begins...every time the sun gets to goin good the northern lights are spectacular (they're always very pretty over the lake:) and one of the few good things about living on the great lakes especially as winter approaches.)

[Turtle]

That's all right...Just so long as I get a heads up when it begins...every time the sun gets to goin good the northern lights are spectacular (they're always very pretty over the lake:) and one of the few good things about living on the great lakes especially as winter approaches.)

 

Northern lights are not tied to sunspots, rather to CME's (Coronal Mass Ejections). There is in fact an aurora alert tonight. Keep looking up. :phones: >>SpaceWeather.com -- News and information about meteor showers, solar flares, auroras, and near-Earth asteroids

[DFINITLYDISTRUBD]

I knew that:)

Originally Posted by MoonMan

Maybe the sun is holding back and will really kick our *** with a series of huge flares in a few months or years.

What I was happily noting is Bolded and underlined.

Thanks for the heads up:)

 

I imagine you've got one of them fancy solar filters?

I use my welding filters to check out the sun from time to time But sadly no longer own a telescope:( and have never seen a spot:(

[Turtle]

I knew that:) What I was happily noting is Bolded and underlined.

Thanks for the heads up:)

 

:doh: I did not know that! :hyper: My bad. :smilingsun:

[freeztar]

I use my welding filters to check out the sun from time to time But sadly no longer own a telescope:( and have never seen a spot:(

 

Since looking directly at the Sun with the naked eye, through binoculars or a telescope is extremely dangerous, amateur observation of sunspots with the unaided eye is generally done by projection or via using proper filtration. Small sections of very dark filter glass, such as a #14 welder's glass is sometimes employed. The eyepiece of a telescope is also used in the role of a "projector" to project the image, without filtration, on to a white screen where it can be viewed indirectly, and even traced, so sunspot evolution can be followed.

 

Sunspot - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

When I took Astronomy classes, we would track sunspots on a paper projection. We don't need SOHO to track sunspots on our own. :smilingsun:

[Turtle]

We had a tiny equatorial susnpot show up on September 8, but it quickly disappeared and the Sun continues spotless. :) :shrug:

http://www.spaceweather.com/swpod2008/11sep08/mag512_lab.jpg?PHPSESSID=n7enetpina3m5dj8160hkl1qq5

 

Lots o' prominences though. :hyper:

SOLAR ACTIVITY: By the standard of sunspot counts, solar activity is low. Maybe there should be another standard:

SpaceWeather.com -- News and information about meteor showers, solar flares, auroras, and near-Earth asteroids (September 21st archive page)

[Turtle]

Voila! A cycle 24 spot has appeared since yesterday! :) http://www.spaceweather.com/images2008/22sep08/midi_lab.jpg?PHPSESSID=3guvd5kl0f50r8i6b3rhf77440

 

More story and links to amateur photos of the new spot archived on the September 22, 2008 Spaceweather page: >> SpaceWeather.com -- News and information about meteor showers, solar flares, auroras, and near-Earth asteroids

 

To the Bat Scope! :)

[litespeed]

Just Three Things

 

1) There is no consensus current warming is forced by human CO2.

 

.: U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works :: Minority Page :.

 

2) Further, cold is bad, warm is good. Believe me, you will not grow tomatoes in Summer Time Chicago the next time it is under half a mile of ice.

Moderation Note: Subsequent discussion involving global warming has been moved to 17723

[Turtle]

back on topic.... how's the solar activity these days? are we finally seeing some?

 

Very nice thank you. :) Here's an interesting site I found today. >> SOLARCYCLE 24.com / Solar Cycle 24 / Spaceweather / Amateur Radio VHF Aurora Website.

 

Something from Dow'nder: >> Harry watches solar cycle 24 gather pace at Sydney Observatory - news and views on astronomy from Sydney

September and October 2008 saw a burst of cycle 24 activity that after a year of very few sunspots was a welcome change. Throughout the past year however solar prominences put on an amazing display, mostly around 45 to 50º north and south latitudes; though some were associated with a strong coronal hole near the sun’s equator that also produced several short-lived sunspots.

 

Prior to the two months mentioned there had been about eight very small sunspots at high latitudes with the reversed polarity that marked them as cycle 24 spots. Many of these spots lasted less than 24 hours and some failed to gain NOAA active region numbers – and so disappeared from the official sunspot count. Also the new cycle spots appeared very infrequently, often months apart.

 

Starting in September however, things changed; prominences seemed to fade, and new cycle spots appeared much more often.

 

AR 11002 (aka1002 for short) was first viewed Sept. 23 as two tiny spots at 26ºN longitude 72º - in H-alpha bright plage and a faint active region filament were seen. By the 25th the plage and filament remained but the spots had gone.

 

AR (?): this group was viewed on Sept. 30 when alerted by solar observer and member of the Sydney City Skywatchers, Monty Leventhal, that a spot was visible. I had it at 23ºN longitude 295º - but it failed to gain an AR number, and like several others went in the official reject bin. Its magnetic polarity and high latitude marked it too as C24 group. ...

 

The Sun today is blank; no sunspots whatsoever. :) :)

http://www.spaceweather.com/images2008/14dec08/midi512_blank.gif?PHPSESSID=sompidsn7ch6cm31cd7ja8mka2

[alexander]

peculiar.... maybe someone or thing is stealing our sun spots, you think if we gathered a little fake intelligence about some third world country stealing sun spots, the us gov-t will invade it? wait, do sun spots pay as well as oil? and by pay, i mean cost 300-350 million a day?

 

how long did the last stretch of sun's magnetic inactivity last?

[Turtle]

peculiar.... maybe someone or thing is stealing our sun spots, you think if we gathered a little fake intelligence about some third world country stealing sun spots, the us gov-t will invade it? wait, do sun spots pay as well as oil? and by pay, i mean cost 300-350 million a day?

 

how long did the last stretch of sun's magnetic inactivity last?

 

don't worry Alex; I'll see that you get your cut. :)

 

here's a nice site with a graphic record of recorded sunspot activity throughout history: >> :)

 

History of Sunspot Observations

Surprisingly, humans have observed sunspots for a very long time, so historical sunspot observations provide us with some of our best long-duration records of solar activity. Large sunspots can sometimes be seen with the naked eye, especially when the Sun is viewed through fog near the horizon at sunrise or sunset. (WARNING: Never look directly at the Sun! Even a brief glance can damage your eyes!) The first written record of sunspots was made by Chinese astronomers around 800 B.C. Court astrologers in ancient China and Korea, who believed sunspots foretold important events, kept sporadic records of sunspots for hundred of years. An English monk named John of Worcester made the first drawing of sunspots in December 1128. ...

[Flying Binghi]

An interesting link there Turtle

 

...In contrast to these periods of sunspot minima, sunspot counts have been higher than usual since around 1900, which has led some scientists to call this time the Modern Maximum. Likewise a period called the Medieval Maximum, which lasted from 1100 to 1250, apparently had higher levels of sunspots and associated solar activity, and intriguingly coincides (at least partially) with a period of warmer climates on Earth called the Medieval Warm Period.