Orwell Astronomical Society (Ipswich)

The Sun, 23 February - 01 March 2024

Observations on 23 February - 01 March 2024 show the rotation of the Sun and the evolution of active region AR3590, the large sunspot group above and slightly to the left of centre image on 23 February. AR3590 moves slowly to the right, day by day, until disappearing over the western limb in early March.

1. Solar disk, 23 February, 12:44 UT. Hα light.
2. Solar disk, 24 February, 11:22 UT. Hα light. The rotation of the Sun is shown by the displacement to the right of active region AR3590 relative to the previous day.
3. Solar disk, 24 February, 11:44 UT. White light.
4. Solar disk, 24 February, 11:49 UT. White light.
5. Solar disk, 27 February, 11:26 UT. Hα light. The image was captured through high-level cloud, so appears dark and lacks detail.
6. Solar disk, 01 March, 12:27 UT. Hα light. AR3590 has almost disappeared over the western limb, and a new large sunspot group, AR3595, is visible above and to right of centre image.
7. Close-up of prominence on the eastern limb on 23 February, 12:55 UT. Hα light.
8. Close-up of AR3590, 23 February, 12:53 UT. Hα light.
9. Close-up of AR3590, 24 February, 11:45 UT. Hα light.
10. Close-up of AR3590, 27 February, 11:33 UT. Hα light.
11. Close-up of AR3590 and AR3593, 27 February, 12:30 UT. Hα light.
12. Close-up of AR3590 on the western limb, 01 March, 12:32 UT. Hα light.

Image 3 by Martin Cook using a Skywatcher PSD 200 telescope and Canon EOS 850D camera. Image 4 by Paul Whiting, FRAS, using a Seestar S50 "smart" telescope. All other images by Martin Cook using a Lunt LS60THa/B1200 telescope and ZWO 178mm camera; close-ups with a 2.5x Barlow lens.

Martin Cook, Paul Whiting, FRAS

Original: emails 23, 24, 27 February; 01 March 2024
Updated: 02 March 2024