New solar cycle sunspot group
New solar cycle sunspot group (2009/6/1 Hinode SOT)
New solar activity cycle has really come! An “active region” appeared at the high latitude in the northern hemisphere. This region has several sunspots which are visible for several days. “Hinode” spacecraft is observing this active region this week. It is the first time to have continuous observation of sunspots with Hinode Solar Optical Telescope (SOT) after entering the new solar cycle. It is almost two years after the last observation in December 2007. This is the opportunity that many solar observers have waited, although the magnetic configuration of the region is rather simple without major flares.
新しい太陽活動サイクルが始まった。数日以上にわたって太陽黒点が存在しつづける活動領域が高緯度に現われた。「ひので」が何日にもわたって黒点を観測できるのは、2007年冬以来約２年ぶりだろう。太陽フレアを引き起こすような複雑な活動領域ではないけれど、太陽研究者の多くが待ちに待っていた活動領域だ。
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