Watch a Massive Sunspot Speed Across the Sun

Animation: SDO/NASA

Watch as an enormous and extremely energetic group of sunspots complete their trek across the face of the sun. Known as Active Region 1967 (AR1967), the sunspot complex is roughly 180,000 kilometers across, making it larger than the planet Jupiter. Another smaller group of sunspots can be seen rotating above it.

Sunspots are relatively cool regions on the sun’s surface, generally around 3,000 degrees Celsius, in comparison to the normal temperature of 5,500 degrees. Often, they come in pairs or even large clusters, such as AR1967, which may have nearly 45 sunspots within it. They are associated with regions of intense magnetic activity erupting from the sun, though scientists have yet to figure out the exact relationship between sunspots and magnetic energy. Active regions usually produce powerful bursts of radiation known as solar flares. AR1967 has been quite active, erupting a great deal of mid-size flares on Feb. 3 and an intense X-class flare, the most powerful type of solar flare, on Jan. 30.

AR1967 appeared over the limb of the sun late last month. It had previously crossed the sun’s face at the beginning of the year, when it was called AR1944. The animation above, made from images taken by NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory, covers a period from Feb. 1 to Feb. 8. Below, you can see a closeup of the region taken on Feb. 5.