Latest (within 24 hours) Solar SOHO Michelson Doppler Imager (MDI) 6767 Å continuum.
Click on the image to better see the current sonspot pattern.
This is a stereoscopic pair of images taken by a special telescope
on the Yohkoh spacecraft that "sees" the Sun in the X-ray portion of the spectrum, not visible light like we see with our eyes.
The two images were taken about 13 hours
apart to maximize the 3-dimensional impression. To create a 3-D image, stare at the images and relax
your eyes. Try to make the two images into one. Some people may be able to see 3-D by crossing or diverging their eyes.
Be patient, if at first you don't succeed, try again later.
'TIS SAFE TO observe the Moon at night, but the Sun's a whole different kind of critter. It is extremely bright! You must be very careful when observing it.
However, it is possible to observe the Sun safely and see sunspots by projecting its image onto a piece of white paper. All you need is 2 people, binoculars, a camera tripod, and a piece of white paper on a clipboard or poster board to make a safe sun viewer. Securely attach the binoculars to the tripod. Cover one lens of the binoculars. Now get a piece of cardboard or other stiff paper about 2 feet square and cut a rectangular hole in the middle of it the size of the binoculars. Slip it over the front of the binoculars and tape it into position. It will block the Sun's light from shining beyond the binoculars. Turn your back to the Sun so that you will not be tempted to look at it. Point the binoculars in the general direction of the Sun without looking at it. Now hold the white paper about one foot behind the eyepieces of the binoculars. Without looking at the Sun, patiently and slowly adjust the binoculars on the tripod until they point directly at the Sun and project an image of the Sun onto the white paper. The stiff paper or cardboard you slipped over the front of the binoculars will cast a shadow onto the white paper, so that you will be able to see the Sun's image easily. By the way, the image will be white, not yellow, even though the Sun appears yellow in the sky. Focus the image and, bingo! you're safely looking at the Sun without doing any damage to your eyes. With the help of a partner holding the paper, you can safely draw an image of the Sun on the paper, including any sunspots.
Does the Sun rotate on its axis?
Just one more gentle reminder: Always be careful when observing the Sun and concentrate on what you are doing each step of the way so you don't accidently look up at the Sun.
Diana (the Moon) rules the night, but the Sun rules the day. The Sun is a star, and if we are to understand anything about the stars that share the night with the Moon, we must first understand more about our own star, the Sun. The following is a list of some of the places on the World Wide Web where you can find basic information on the Sun:
The Sun.
On-Line Glossary of Solar-Terrestrial
Terms.
The Superficial Sun-Atmosphere and
Composition.
The Solar Interior-Hotter than a Green
Chile Cheeseburger.
Solar Space Weather.
If you prefer not to observe the Sun each day with the Sun Viewer described above, you can access daily images of the Sun in various wavelengths on the WWW. My favorite places to "watch" the Sun daily are listed below. Compare the Sun as it appears in different wavelengths.
Solar Data Analysis Center (SDAC).
YOHKOH Soft X-Ray Telescope.
Current Solar Data.
MoreSolar Data.
Current Solar Images.
If you would you like to play around with some sunspot data, perhaps make some graphs, charts, etc., I have some great links below for you!
Sunspot Numbers.
Solar and Interplanetary Phenomena.
The Earth, Moon, and Sun have been beautifully choreographed into an elaborate dance that occassionally creates an eclipse. There are lunar eclipses and solar eclipses. Here's a guide to eclipses on the WWW:
Annular Solar Eclipse Animation.
Eclipse Images.
Solar Eclipse Paths.
Eclipse Links.
My photograph of the Solar Eclipse in Feb.
1979, from Brandon, Manitoba, Canada. MAGNIFICENT!
My photograph of the Lunar Eclipse of July
1982, as observed from truly DARK skies at Iowa State University's Geology Field Station on the west side of the Big
Horn Mountains in Wyoming.
The aurora borealis (northern lights) and the aurora australis (southern lights) occur above Earth because of extraordinary activity on the Sun. Auroral activity is visible mostly from the higher latitudes, but good displays have been seen at lower latitudes too. You can see images and movies of auroral displays and learn a lot more about auroral activity by using the links listed below. Activity is best seen in the fall and spring of the year and when the Sun is at its peak of sunspot acitivity. To see an auroral display in all its glory, you must first find an observing site as far from city lights as you can get and watch the sky on clear, dark, moonless nights. Look for a dim, sometimes multicolored glow, along the northern horizon if you live in the northern hemisphere and along the southern horizon if you live in the southern hemisphere. Sometimes the glow forms spikes or curtains of light that shimmer, weave, and seem to dance about the sky. Colors vary from red to blue and white. You won't always see aurorae every time you go out to look, but you can use the time to become better acquainted with the night sky. There is another way to watch for auroral activity. Wait for times when the Sun is most active or when sudden, violent solar flares erupt. Solar activity is constantly being monitored by spacecraft and ground-based instruments. This information is available in various formats and places. Be alert to intense activity on the Sun by using the following links:
Aurora (Tips on Viewing the Aurora).
Aurora Page.
Space Environment Lab Solar Activity Forecast.
Here are a few other Sun "SPOTS" (gotcha) you might find interesting:
National Solar Observatory, Sacramento Peak.
Mees Solar Observatory.
Solar Activity Chart.
Solar Connections: Strategic Theme.
Ulysses (Solar Spacecraft) Home Page.