Two sunspot groups are visible near the center disk. If you look well, they are even visible with the naked eye! If you look, always use eclipse glasses or other protection.
Sunspot group with Catania number 40 was first visible on the solar disk on March 7 and grew in size until March 13. From that moment, it stabilized. On March 9, group number 41 was visible. It appeared as an alpha-group, a simple magnetic configuration and stayed like this.
Up till now, number 40 was responsible for two C-flares. The x-ray radiation of the less complex group 41 did not reach the C-level
.
The picture above is taken with the white light camera of the SIDC. It images the Sun as we see it, but with a better resolution compared as if we would like with our own eyes. Sunspot group 41 is the one the most on the left, while sunspot group 40 are the two spots on the right. Click this link to see a movie of the sunspots drifting over the solar disk. The pictures of the movie are taken by the instrument MDI onboard of SOHO and show the Sun also in visible light.
