Sunspots AR4482 and AR4485 on 10-07-2026

 

Part Solar Photosphere showing two active sunspot groups
- AR4482 and AR4485
Data captured from the JPO, Lowestoft, Suffolk UK,
with the 66mm ED Refractor, a Lunt Herschel wedge 
and a QHY5lll462C video camera.

Active Sunspot AR4482 - data captured with the same set-up
with the addition of a x3 Televue Barlow Lens.

Overview of Solar Activity and Active Regions 

AR4482 and AR4485 represent two distinct focal points of localized magnetic flux emergence on the solar photosphere. Observed during a highly dynamic phase of the solar cycle, these regions demonstrate how sunspot morphology, grouping size, and magnetic topology directly govern flare production and coronal mass ejections (CMEs).

Active Region 4482 (AR4482)

Morphology and Spatial Scale:

AR4482 initially emerged on the Sun’s south eastern limb, establishing a moderate spatial footprint.

Sunspot Count and Classification: 

According to data tracked via Space Weather Live, the region contains a compact cluster of roughly 6 individual sunspots. It is categorized under the Zurich/McIntosh system as a CKO class spot group, featuring a asymmetric penumbra on its largest spot with a compact unipolar or simple bipolar progression.

Substructural Characteristics:

 High-resolution observations in the continuum and H-alpha lines reveal intricate convective sub-elements within its primary umbra, including umbral dots and visible light bridges. These details signify localized convective intrusions slicing through a suppressing magnetic field.   [Umbra / Dark Core] ---> Suppressed convection (Cooler plasma)

Magnetic Topology and Flaring Activity:

AR4482 possesses a beta-gamma magnetic configuration, signifying an asymmetric distribution of positive and negative magnetic polarities without a highly sheared, shared penumbra. Despite its relatively modest sunspot count, the region exhibits high magnetic tension and an Eruptive History: The region announced its presence on July 4, 2026, by unleashing a powerful X1.3 solar flare. It followed this event on July 7 with a prolonged, eruptive M4.1 flare, which drove a narrow CME into interplanetary space.

Geo effectiveness: 

Eruptions from AR4482 have successfully induced Minor (R1) radio blackouts due to localized ionospheric ionisation. However, because its coronal mass ejections have been geometrically narrow, they have largely bypassed Earth without triggering severe geomagnetic storms.

Active Region 4485 (AR4485)

Morphology and Spatial Scale 

In stark contrast to AR4482's compact structure, AR4485 exhibits a much larger geometric and numeric layout.

Sunspot Count and Classification:

 AR4485 has rapidly evolved into a highly fragmented, expansive complex consisting of 25 distinct sunspots. It is officially designated as a DAC class spot group. This configuration indicates a penumbral-bounded bipolar sunspot population extending over a significant longitudinal distance on the solar disc.

Evolutionary Growth: 

Space weather monitors recorded a rapid 35% growth in area over mere two-hour windows as it moved across the eastern limb, fuelled by intense, ongoing flux emergence from the convective zone.

Magnetic Topology and Chromosphere Activity

The underlying plasma dynamics of AR4485 are defined by intense kinetic and magnetic interaction:

Helicity and Current Gradients: 

Spectro-polarimetric observations indicate that AR4485 possesses an exceptionally high magnetic helicity (structural twisting) for its relative layout. Its localized vertical electric currents have shown rapid intensification, doubling during periods of flux emergence. This behaviour establishes steep localized field gradients, indicating a highly unstable reservoir of free magnetic energy.

Multi-Layer Eruptive Profile: 

When scrutinized across varying wavelengths via the Space Weather Live Forum records, AR4485 presents strong, volatile fluctuations across the Solar Photosphere (G-band, 430 nm): Displays highly fragmented pore networks and trailing spot clusters.

Chromosphere (Calcium K, 393.4 nm & H-alpha, 656.3 nm): 

Reveals dense, brilliant plages and persistent brightening.

Flaring Status: 

Driven by its high helicity, AR4485 has generated repetitive M-class solar flares embedded within dynamic chromosphere surges and plasma expulsions ("smoke puffs"). Joel 

Comparative Summary of AR4482 and AR4485AttributeActive Region 4482 (AR4482)Active Region 4485 (AR4485)

Sunspot Count~6 spots (Compact)~25 spots (Expansive)McIntosh Class CKODAC Magnetic Class Beta-Gamma Highly twisted (High Helicity) Peak ActivityX1.3 & M4.1 Flares Recurring M-class flares Core Dynamics Umbral dots, stable light bridges Rapid flux emergence and surging currents.

Images from SOHO and NASA (at differing wavelengths)

" The solar disk is very interesting at the moment and the JPO team is looking forward to the partial solar eclipse on the 12th of August"- Joel Cairo CEO of the Jodrell Plank Observatory.

Summer Stars with an Android

The Summer Triangle and the Milky Way.
Captured with a Google 8a Smartphone July 2026.

" The above image was captured by our sponsor George Roberts using his Google Pixel 8a phone. Now bearing in mind he is very 'Roger Moore' and a few marbles short of the full bag, not too shabby!  You can clearly see the stars Deneb, Vega and Altair and a number of nebulae including NGC 7000.

I have asked our engineer Jolene to design and build a 'gizmo' for fixing a smartphone to a tripod to see how well we might 'push' the performance of the Pixel 8a in its use for astrophotography. 

The above image was only captured and processed using the software, which came installed with the phone, so some improvements might be made both in terms of specialist capture software and post capture processing software. Watch this space"!  - Joel Cairo CEO of the Jodrell Plank Observatory.

The same image data with a little post processing
using Infinity Photo software.

" Now why don't you try this at home with your smartphone and see if you can capture the 'Summer Milky Way' in all its splendour?" - Kurt Thrust current Director of the JPO, the UK's most easterly Astronomical Observatory.

The Lunt Herschel Wedge on the JPO 66mm ED Altair Lightwave Refractor.

 

The Full Solar Photosphere - a composite from several partial videos-images - data obtained with the 66mm ED Refractor, the Lunt Herschel Wedge and a QHY5lll462C video camera. Captured in the morning 26-06-2026 from the Jodrell Plank Observatory, Lowestoft, Suffolk UK.

Annotated version
showing the two main Sunspot Groups 4478 and 4479

Partial Photosphere

Enlarged detail showing Sunspot pair 4478

" The JPO Team was excited to try out the new Lunt Herschel Wedge and set up the old Star Adventurer EQ mobile rig using the 66mm ED Altair Astro Refractor and the QHY5lll462c low light video camera to capture data. The weather wasn't perfect for astrophotography with some wind and high level sky haze.

This was very much a trial run with the Herschel Wedge and we were quite pleased with its performance in  showing some detail in the sunspots, thermal convection cells and faculae.

We are looking forward to trying the 'wedge' on the JPO's large 127mm refractor.  I have asked Jolene our engineer, to design and manufacture an aperture reducing cover for the big refractor's objective lens as the 'wedge' can only work safely on telescopes having a maximum aperture of 80mm. We believe that with the aperture limited to 80mm and by using a x3 amplifying Barlow lens in the light train, significant improvements in enlarged sunspot detail will be achieved. Watch this space!"  - Joel Cairo CEO of the Jodrell Plank Observatory

Solar photosphere definition

 

" Kurt loves searching for and purchasing 'preloved or secondhand' astro equipment for the Jodrell Plank Observatory. The above is a Herschel Wedge. This can be used with telescopes having an aperture equal or less than 80mm in diameter. The wedge has an integral blocking filter, vents most of the remaining heat etc. via the prism and out of the wedge through a heat sink.  The Herschel Wedge delivers 'high definition' images of the Solar Photosphere in white light. We hope to use this new piece of kit to provide high definition images of sunspots at high magnification." - Joel Cairo CEO of the JPO still the UK's most easterly Astronomical Observatory.

M81 and M82 in a gravitational cosmic dance.

 

Galaxies M81 and M82 in Ursa Major. Captured at the JPO using the Seestar S30. Image credit: Kurt Thrust.

"Kurt is sitting in the 'Visitor Centre' after having been discharged from the hospital. With nothing much to do, he asked Google Gemini AI to create a time-lapse video clip of the gravitational interplay between the two spiral galaxies over 25 million years, using the above image and Astrophysics.

Now, here at the JPO, we all take AI with a big 'pinch of salt' and the following video may be more 'scraped' than 'calculated' but we all thought it was worth posting for general interest." - Joel Cairo CEO of the Jodrell Plank Observatory.

Deep Time and the Cosmos

 

"As Einstein would have said, there is no preferred frame of reference. Everything in the cosmos is moving and separated by vast distances. Mostly from our frame of reference, both in time and space, stars and the like seem unchanging. This is only an illusion created by the brevity of human life compared with the life of stars and the enormous size of the Cosmos. 

Kurt, some time ago had captured an image of the Plough asterism in the constellation Ursa Major the Great Bear and I decided to ask Google Gemini AI to create a stop motion video clip showing how his image of the Plough would change over 10 million years in 500,000 year increments. The AI was tasked with taking into account relative movement and the life and death of stars. I was rather impressed by the result which I assume is realistic as well as beautiful" - Joel Cairo CEO the Jodrell Plank Observatory.

Kurt Thrust is unwell.

 

Image Credit: SOHO Solar Observatory. Lower image derived from the SOHO image and processed by Kurt on his smartphone.

" The trouble with having a very old astronomer, like Kurt Thrust as the Observatory Director, is that sooner or later they become a bit unwell and unable to do their job. Quite honestly, the JPO Team has been covering for him for some time and we all have been keeping him going with a steady stream of tea, sympathy and incontinence pads. Anyway and quite unexpectedly, Kurt was admitted to hospital for tests but we hope to see his return to the Observatory in the next few days. In the meantime, he has insisted that posts should continue and that the blog should not go 'Dark'. What an astronomical trooper!🔭🤣" Joel Cairo CEO of the JPO the UK's most easterly Astronomical Observatory

" The above images showing the  current view of the solar photosphere were obtained and derived from the SOHO satellite. I was rather annoyed, that I wasn't back at the Jodrell Plank Observatory and able to image sunspot group 4465 using the 127mm apo refractor, a Baader white light filter and our latest fast video camera. I'm down but not out! " Kurt Thrust still the current Director of the Jodrell Plank Observatory.