BIG FULL MOON:
This Friday's full Moon is the biggest full Moon of the year. It is a "perigee Moon," as much as 14% bigger and 30% brighter than lesser full Moons we've seen earlier in 2008.
SOLAR ACTIVE REGIONS:
The hot spot on the left is emerging sunspot 1009. The one on the right, however, has no sunspot number; it is invisible from Earth. STEREO-A can see it because the spacecraft is stationed above the sun's western limb with a view over the horizon. Counting "over the horizon" sunspots is an ability unique to the STEREO mission.
The high southern latitude of these active regions identifies them as members of new Solar Cycle 24. New-cycle sunspot counts have been growing since October 2008, leading some forecasters to declare that solar minimum is behind us: full story
Posted: 12:27:05 AM
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