Still no sunspots...

[REASON]

Any idea how they are able to determine which cycle is responsible for the development of new spots during this transitionary period?

[Turtle]

Originally Posted by REASON

Any idea how they are able to determine which cycle is responsible for the development of new spots during this transitionary period?

Roger. New cycle susnpots start appearing N & S of the equator and the magnetic polarity of the spots is reversed from one cycle to the next.

...most regions of strong magnetic fields are grouped in pairs of opposite polarities; furthermore, at any given time the ordering of positive/negative regions with respect to the E---W direction (the direction of rotation, from left to right on these images) is the same in a given hemisphere, but is reversed from northern to southern hemispheres. This was first determined observationally in the first decade of the 20 century by G.H. Hale, and is known as Hale's Polarity Law. Shortly after this discovery, ongoing studies of the magnetic polarities of sunspot pairs by Hale and collaborators revealed yet another intriguing pattern: from one sunspot cycle to the next, the magnetic polarities of sunspot pairs undergo a reversal in each hemisphere. This polarity reversal pattern is apparent on this slide.

Hale's sunspot polarity law

... New-cycle sunspots almost always pop up at mid-latitudes, around 30o N or 30o S....

NASA - Backward Sunspot

[Turtle]

today we had a cycle 24 sunspot, although it didn't last. here's the SOHO magnetogram showing its polarity and while not mentioned, notice it is considerably south of the equator.

http://www.spaceweather.com/images20...34f1e4mojgr7r6

[Turtle]

a little sunspot popped up today and it's a weirdo.

Originally Posted by Spaceweather

A new sunspot is emerging inside the circle region--and it is a strange one. The low latitude of the spot suggests it is a member of old Solar Cycle 23, yet the magnetic polarity of the spot is ambiguous, identifying it with neither old Solar Cycle 23 nor new Solar Cycle 24. Stay tuned for updates as the sunspot grows. Credit: SOHO/MDI

SpaceWeather.com -- News and information about meteor showers, solar flares, auroras, and near-Earth asteroids

[Turtle]

No spots of import that I noticed since last report 3 weeks ago, but we have an active spot today that is a cycle 23 puppy.

Originally Posted by Spaceweather Feb 13,2009

SOLAR ACTIVITY: Sunspot 1012 is crackling with B-class solar flares. Yesterday, Feb. 12th at 1625 UT, one such eruption propelled a "solar tsunami" through the sun's lower atmosphere. An ultraviolet telescope onboard NASA's STEREO-B spacecraft recorded the faint yet powerful wave: http://www.spaceweather.com/images20...tgita20dnnlv45

The low latitude and magnetic polarity of this sunspot identify it as a member of old Solar Cycle 23. It is, in other words, a fossil, albeit a relatively active one. Stay tuned for more flares.

SpaceWeather.com -- News and information about meteor showers, solar flares, auroras, and near-Earth asteroids

[freeztar]

Originally Posted by litespeed

Final Callege to The GW Crowd.

Please list the eras of mass extinction attributed to Global Warming.

litespeed,

This thread is about sunspots. This includes sunspot occurrences, observations, etc.

If you have a qualm with AGW, then it should be addressed in a more appropriate thread.

My belief in Global Warming is getting shaky

Thanks!

[Turtle]

Daily Sun: 20 Feb 09

The sun is blank--no sunspots. Credit: SOHO/MDI

[freeztar]

Originally Posted by Turtle

no sunspots.

I see several spots!

Wait...let me clean my screen...Yep, they're gone...

[max4236]

The sun must be in a spring cleaning mood. Looks spiffy.

[Turtle]

Daily Sun: 05 Mar 09

The sun is blank--no sunspots. Credit: SOHO/MDI