Go to previous topic
Go to next topic
Last Post 10/20/2008 9:41 AM by  KD Leka
sunspots
 2 Replies
Author Messages

Jim Stryder



Basic Member


Posts:105
Basic Member


--
10/20/2008 8:20 AM

    Hector (Fx) 4th grade

    Are sunspots called anything else except a spot?


    Isabel Hawkins



    New Member


    Posts:42
    New Member


    --
    10/20/2008 9:40 AM

    Hi Hector,

    "Sunspot" is the only way I have known these solar regions to be called in English. I am from Argentina, and we call them "manchas solares" - a translation of "Sunspot."

    Isabel Hawkins


    KD Leka



    Basic Member


    Posts:115
    Basic Member


    --
    10/20/2008 9:41 AM

    Hi -- when there's a group of sunspots together, it's often called an "active region". Active regions can have only one or two spots, or they can have over 100 sunspots all gathered together. The sunspots in an active region often appear and go through their sunspot life together, which is usually between a week and a month between the time sunspots first appear, grow, hang around, then dissappear.

    Sunspots have different parts which are sometimes referred to: the darkest center part is the "umbra", which is the coolest and has the strongest magnetic fields. Outside of the umbra is the "penumbra", where the magnetic field is a real tangled mess, some going up and some lying almost flat against the sun. So, you may hear references to those parts of sunspots as well.



    ---