Solar Observations: April 2019
At last...there was a bit more solar activity in April as reported by Monty Leventhal OAM from his balcony in Maroubra, a suburb of Sydney.
Even though solar activity was still very low in the month of April 2019, a few Sunspot groups did appear. The first seen was on the 1st UT when the small Bxi (3) group AR12737 continued to be visible following on from the end of March.
The following day the same group had grown to a CV of Dao (19) with Penumbra around each spot. It was still visible on the 3rd but it could hardly be seen.
No Sunspots could be seen on the 5th or 6th but on the 7th a large Cki group containing 2 spots within a Penumbra appeared close to the NW limb in AR12738 as shown in the photograph above. This area became more active the following day showing a Filament and quite a lot of Plage. Also emanating from the Sunspot area was a surge. This started at 22.30 and ended at 22.35 hrs UT.
By 12th April the group in AR12738 had grown to a CV Hkx (37) and remained the only sunspot group on the solar disk. On the 17th a new Cai (9) group of Sunspots appeared in AR12739 with some Plage. Also on the same day a bright red spot was seen emanating from the now Chi (42) group in AR12738.
By the 20th the only group of spots on the Sun was a single Axx (1) spot close to the western limb.
No further Sunspot activity was seen for the rest of the month.
PROMINENCES.
On the NE limb of the Sun on the 1st April an unconnected type of Prominence was observed reaching a height of about 126,000km. On the 8th on the NW limb a double column Prominence reached an approximate height of 65,000km. By the following day it had become a single arched Prominence with a height of about 74,000km. The same day on the NE limb another arched Prominence at about the same height had a base across the limb of around 158,000km. A double arched Prominence on the NE limb at 47,000km high and another single arch at 56,000km high was observed on the 23rd on the NW limb.
All other Prominences throughout the month were quite small and faint.
The Sun was clear of all activity on the 26th and 27th.
No Flares were observed for the whole month of April 2019.
SUMMARY
Summing up there was a total of three Sunspot groups in the north and a total of 11 Sunspots also in the north.
The total average classification value was 15.3 and the relevant total Sunspot number was 7.
A total of 23 observations were made with the remaining 7 days either cloud covered and/or rain. This included 8 days when no Sunspot activity could be seen.
The total average classification value was 10.1 and the relevant total Sunspot number was 5.
Monty Leventhal OAM.