Here are today’s solar images taken from Al Sadeem Observatory, January 26, 2021.
The sky was generally clear with intermittent light to moderate breeze which provided good transparency but average seeing at the time these images were taken.Â
Solar activity has remained at low levels over the past 24 hours. AR2797 (Modified Zurich/Mcintosh sunspot configuration: Hrx/alpha) experienced some leader spot shrinkage and is generally stable and inactive. On the other hand, AR2799 (Dro/beta) continues to exhibit some magnetic instability and minimal decay in its sunspot structure. Any flaring activity associated with this sunspot group will not matter much because its already approaching the northwestern limb, departing from Earth-view. The latest sunspot number (based on visual count and Wolf number calculation) is 24.Â
Other solar features observed were several minor plasma ejections through the presence of a few small quiescent prominences particularly at the limbs, few short stable filaments across the Sun’s disk, and the enhanced plages associated with AR2799, AR2797, and the undeveloped region at the northeastern quadrant as distinctively captured in H-alpha imagery.
Space weather agencies* forecast solar activity gradual decrease in solar activity but still within low levels with chances of solar flares of up to B-class (possibly isolated C-class) intensity, mainly from AR2797. 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, January 26, 2021, from NCM Al Wathba Station):
Average Temperature: 24.23°C
Average Humidity: 38.0%
Average Wind Speed and Direction: 20.17 kph from NNW
Average Cloud Cover: 0%
Average Air Pressure: 1007.9 hPa
Average Solar Radiation: 176.0 W/m^2
