<!--[if gte mso 9]> Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:EN-US; mso-fareast-language:EN-US;} @page Section1 {size:612.0pt 792.0pt; margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt; mso-header-margin:36.0pt; mso-footer-margin:36.0pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> <!--[if gte mso 10]> Hi Leslie!

As you may have noticed from the solar images, sunspots typically appear in pairs/groups. Sunspots form when bundles of magnetic field (flux tubes) arise inside the Sun to the surface. The magnetic field lines break through the surface from one spot and then go back inside through the other spot. Solar activity (e.g. flares and coronal mass ejections) and strong magnetic fields are concentrated in so-called active regions. Active regions may have several sunspot pairs. I think single sunspots you could find in the early or decay phase of the sunspot pair. Also sometimes a group of sunspot may appear like one big sunspot due to low resolution.