June 22 2012 Goodbye Sunspot 1504 Hello AR1510 HD

 
Although the sunspot is not directly facing Earth, it will affect our planet June 24th. Magnetically speaking, Earth is well-connected to AR1504's location on the southwestern limb.


Over the past two weeks we have been watching the Active Region 1504 appear on the Eastern limb of the Sun, release several M-class solar flares while moving across the Earth facing side of the Sun. As it is decaying and moving towards the Western limb of the Sun, we are getting one good last look at these beautiful sunspots.

A solar prominence (also known as a filament when viewed against the solar disk) is a large, bright feature extending outward from the Sun's surface. Prominences are anchored to the Sun's surface in the photosphere, and extend outwards into the Sun's hot outer atmosphere, called the corona. A prominence forms over timescales of about a day, and stable prominences may persist in the corona for several months, looping hundreds of thousands of miles into space. Scientists are still researching how and why prominences are formed.

The red-glowing looped material is plasma, a hot gas comprised of electrically charged hydrogen and helium. The prominence plasma flows along a tangled and twisted structure of magnetic fields generated by the sun's internal dynamo. An erupting prominence occurs when such a structure becomes unstable and bursts outward, releasing the plasma. (Credit: NASA SDO)


AR1504 gave us a wonderful show but now it's time to say goodbye.

A special thanks to the boys and girls on the ISS (International Space Station) and Don Pettit for the amazing space images.

A special thanks to 38Starman for the double CME -- AR 1504's last shot towards Earth.

That's all there is for today
Wish you all a wonderful weekend and thank you for watching.