This sunspot is a huge deal!
In spring 2024, NASA’s
Solar Dynamics Observatory
captured the biggest sunspot
we've seen in almost a decade.
At almost 14 times the size of
Earth, it was so large you could
see it with your own eyes —
using proper eye protection,
of course!
Sunspots form due to intense
magnetic forces
that block some of the Sun's heat
from reaching the surface.
As a result, sunspots
are cooler than their surroundings
and appear spots with a central
dark area, the umbra,
and a lighter outer area,
the penumbra.
Sunspots are frequently
linked to solar flares,
which are among the most
powerful explosions in our
solar system.
This sunspot produced
more than 100 flares
and triggered several Earth-
directed coronal mass ejections,
which are explosive outbursts
of magnetized plasma
from the Sun,
resulting in the historic
May 2024 solar storms.