Solar active region larger than Jupiter
NOV 10, 2011
DOI: 10.1063/PT.5.025695
Discovery News : The largest cluster of sunspots since 2005 is now visible from Earth. Known as AR (active region) 1339, it’s 100 000 kilometers wide, and several of the spots in the cluster are bigger than Earth. On 3 November it erupted in a large flare that created waves of ionization in Earth’s upper atmosphere and disrupted radio communications on Earth about 45 minutes later. The cluster has since begun to lose magnetic complexity, and any flares it produces will probably be moderate in size. AR 1339 will be facing Earth for approximately two weeks.
© 2011 American Institute of Physics
