Solar Observations: September 2020

On the first to the fourth of September no activity could be seen on the Sun.

On the 5th a large double Prominence was observed on the SW limb reaching a height of about 102,000km.

Prominences usually come up in sheet form so when they are seen on the face of the Sun they look like thin black lines and are about 6K to 12K km thick. They are rarely less than 60,000K km or greater than 600,000K km. in length.

No significant activity was seen on the Sun until the 11th when a single arch Prominence was observed on the NE limb. It reached an approximate height of 37,000km. Until the 23rd September, again no significant activity could be seen, however in the NE on that day a large area of Plage was observed.

These regions are where the magnetic fields are very strong and usually produce Sunspots but unfortunately not at this time or any time this month. On the 24th and 25th the Plage region in the NE became much smaller and weaker.

The column type Prominence on the NE limb reached a height of about 74,000km but was very faint.

SUMMARY

So for the month of September 2020 Sunspot activity was zero during my observations. No activity at all on the Sun was observed on the 1st 2nd 4th 21st 27th & 30th. A total of only 19 observations were made with the remaining 11 days either cloud covered or rain.

Most Prominences observed once again were extremely faint & small. No Flares, Surges were seen, though Plage was seen on the 23rd 24th & 25th .

The total average classification value was 0 and the relevant total Sunspot number was 0.

We now appear to be in deep minimum of the new cycle 25

Monty Leventhal OAM