A sunspot is a (relatively) cool area on the Sun’s surface (photosphere) which has an enormous amount of magnetic activity. A sunspot is a temporary phenomena on the Sun’s photosphere. The amount of sunspots visible at any time on the Sun changes periodically, as the Sun goes through a cycle of activity which lasts roughly 11 years.
The strong magnetic fields of sunspots are also responsible for solar flares, which in turn cause the Aurora Borealis (Northern and Southern Lights) here on Earth.
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Object info
Name | Sun |
Type | G-type main-sequence star |
Age | ~ 4.6 billion years |
Absolute magnitude | 4.83 |
Spectral classification | G2V |
Distance | 1 AU – 8m 19s at light speed |
from Milky Way core | 27.200 ly |
Equatorial radius | 695.700 km – 109 Earths |
Mass | 333.000 Earths |
Eq. Surface gravity | 27,94 G |
Sidereal rot. period | 25,05 days |
Apparant magnitude | -26,74 |
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