Solar Observations: July 2020
JULY 2020...
The Bureau of Meteorology has not yet released its July 2020 report, however, there was 183 mm of rainfall in Sydney (the average rainfall for July is 76.8mm). This was spread over a number of days and at times rain and cloud which prevented me observing the Sun at 9am from my balcony in Sydney's south.
A total of only 19 observations were made with the remaining 12 days either cloud covered or rain.
Sunspot activity was quite low during my observations with only three spot groups observed, most were single spots. No Sunspots were observed on the 1st 2nd & 3rd July and on the 5th 6th 8th 11th to the 20th. Most Prominences observed once again were extremely faint & small.
No Flares, Surges or Plage were seen.
The total average classification value was 3.9 and the relevant total Sunspot number was 6.
DAILY OBSERVATIONS
My first observation for the month was on the first July when a double arched prominence was observed on the NW limb and another single and broken arched Prominence was seen on the SE limb; both reached an approximate height of 65,000 km. Prominence activity increased on the 3rd when a Arched type and Pyramid Prominence appeared on the NW limb. It’s height reached 96,000 km. On the SE limb a Hedgerow Prominence was seen stretching across the limb for about 233,000 km and 84,000 km high. Both of these Prominences were extremely faint.
All that could be seen on the 4th July was a single Axx spot of cycle 24 and all that could be seen the following day in that area was some Faculæ. It is also noted on the 5th that the central meridian Po had reached it’s peak of minus 0.25° and will now continue to increase to the east until about the 2nd week in January 2021. From the 6th to the to the 20th no Sunspots could be seen, only some very faint minor Prominences. Also on the 8th , 18th and 19th no activity on the Sun could be seen at all.
It was on the 21st when things began to change. A single Hsx new cycle 25 Sunspot was observed on the 21st close to the SE limb in AR1767. On the 22nd the Sunspot in AR12767 grew larger and close to it on the limb a double type colum Prominence reached a height of 93,000km.
Due to bad weather no further observations were made until the 28th (see the diagram above) when the single Sunspot in AR12767 continued with the Sun’s rotation to the west with a small Filament emanating from it. In the NE a new cycle 25 single Axx Sunspot was seen in the NE with an expected AR number of 12768. A single arch Prominence was observed on the NW limb while on the SE limb a small active column Prominence was observed.
On the 29th the column type Prominence on the SE limb grew to a height of 112,000km and on the 30th the Prominence on the SE limb became a curved type Pillar Prominence and reached a height of 130,000km. See the Diagram below.
By the 31st the single Hsx spot in AR12767 was the only spot seen.
