SUNSPOT MONITORING – DECEMBER 29, 2020

Here are today’s solar images taken from Al Sadeem Observatory, December 29, 2020.

The sky was generally clear with intermittent moderate breeze which provided good transparency but average seeing at the time these images were taken.

AR2794 (Modified Zurich/Mcintosh sunspot configuration: Hsx/alpha) was generally stable; exhibited no distinguishable change in its huge unipolar sunspot structure. On the other hand, AR2785 (Dao/beta) experienced some scattering of its leader spot and slight decay on its trailer. Both sunspot groups were currently inactive and no significant flaring activity was recorded throughout the monitoring period. The latest sunspot number (based on visual count and Wolf number calculation) is 25. 
Few huge eruptive prominence activities especially at the southeastern and southwestern limbs, scattered enhanced plages associated with AR2794 and AR2795 were the other noteworthy solar features distinctively captured in H-alpha imagery.

Space weather agencies* forecast solar activity to be at very low levels with chances of solar flares of B-class intensity, mainly from AR2794 and AR2785. Close monitoring is being conducted by numerous space weather agencies for any significant development.

Equipment used are Skywatcher 120mm refractor telescope with Baader filter and unmodified Canon EOS 1D Mark IV DSLR camera for visible imagery. For H-alpha imagery, the equipment used are Lunt 60mm H-alpha solar telescope, and QHYCCD 290III mono camera; all mounted on Skywatcher EQ6 pro mount Pre-processing of visible solar images was performed in PIPP, stacking in Autostakkert, slight wavelet adjustments in Registax 6, and post-processing in Adobe Photoshop CC.

*TECHNICAL REPORTS COURTESY OF SOLAR INFLUENCE DATA CENTER (SIDC), NOAA-SPACE WEATHER PREDICTION CENTER (NOAA-SWPC)

Weather Data (4:30 PM – 5:00 PM, December 29, 2020, from NCM Al Wathba Station):

Average Temperature: 23.5°C

Average Humidity: 42.67%

Average Wind Speed and Direction: 21.33 kph from NNW

Average Cloud Cover: 0%

Average Air Pressure: 1007.47 hPa

Average Solar Radiation: 123.67 W/m^2

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