Collecting Sunspot Data

Information for Teachers and Examples

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This page is designed to accompany the sunspot activities. It includes suggestions for the teacher on how to collect solar data/images and analyze their information. Examples images are available (especially useful if images cannot be retrieved from the web).

For the Teacher | Sample Images | Example Exercizes | Go to Other Pages

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5 - 12
Approximately 1 hour preparation time, 1/4 hour per day for 10-14 days class time to collect data; 1-3 hours for data analysis
Knowledge of longitude and latitude concepts
Measuring, plotting, basic geometric terms
Computer & access to the internet
Printer hooked up to computer (preferable)
Copier machine and transparency paper (optional)

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Sample Images

Here are sample images which can be used if you can't pick up current images everyday. In these magnetograms, a sunspot group will usually appear as a pairing of white and dark blotches. Ignore the white square in the middle.

Note: these images were taken during solar minimum, a time when not many sunspots are visible. During solar minimum, there are frequently periods when no spots are visible. At solar maximum, it's not uncommon to see 50 or more sunspot groups.

Sample Solar Images (SOHO MDI Magnetograms)
Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5
Day 6 Day 7 Day 8 Day 9 Day 10
Day 11 Day 12 Day 13 Day 14 Day 15
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Example Exercizes
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This page is https://solar-center.stanford.edu/solar_images/teacher.html
Last revised by DKS on July 30, 1997

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