Redshifts and blueshifts of X-ray spectral features, caused by the Doppler effect, will tell researchers how rapidly ultrahot gas is flowing between galaxies in clusters and spiraling toward the event horizons of stellar black holes. Around the spots near the limb, especially, you can see brighter regions called faculae. Click on image for larger view. With a safe solar filter over the front of your telescope, you can view sunspots easily on any clear day. Several large spot groups are marching across the Sun's visible face this week, as shown in the accompanying image.
Bright regions called faculae are also plainly visible.
Astronomers used to think that sunspots lowered the overall energy output of the Sun, but recent studies have shown that faculae more than compensate for the spots, so that a heavily spotted Sun is actually putting out a little more energy than average. Courtesy NASA . Click on image for larger view. He was 69 years old. A veteran of four space flights, Conrad is best remembered as commander of Apollo 12, which achieved the second manned lunar landing.