Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. Awash in a sea of plasma and anchored in magnetic fields , sunspots are planet-sized, dark islands in the solar photosphere , the bright surface of the Sun. But contemporary observers also regularly use this time-honored method of monitoring sunspots. In this sketch from March 6th, astronomer Gunther Groenez has faithfully recorded the intriguing shapes and shades of major visible sunspot groups and labeled them according to their NOAA active region number .
Solar north is up and east to the right.
Now's your chance as the Sun is at the maximum in its 11-year sunspot cycle. Specific rights apply .