This first observation assignment involves observing sunspots.
Sunspots are dark spots on the suns surface.
They are caused by the Sun's magnetic field going through the surface. These regions are cooler because the magnetic fields inhibit normal convective flow that heat the surface. Sunspots tend to occur in pairs associated with North and South magnetic poles. The pairs are often on opposite sides of the Sun's equator. Also, at the sunspot maximum the sunspots tend to appear further from the equator.