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Sunspots and the lack thereof

We haven't had a sunspot in more than a month. We almost had one two days ago. From SpaceWeather August 21st, 2008:

NEW SUNSPOTS: A new sunspot is emerging near the sun's eastern limb. Pavol Rapavy sends this picture, taken just hours ago, from his backyard observatory in Rimavska Sobota, Slovakia:

These spots aren't large, but they are noteworthy as the first sunspots in more than a month. Moreover, they are growing rapidly, offering an opportunity for onlookers to witness sunspot genesis in action. If you have a solar telescope, take a look.

From SpaceWeather August 22nd, 2008:

NOT A SUNSPOT: Not every spot on the sun is a sunspot. As an example, consider this photo taken yesterday by John Stetson and students (P. Fazzi and J. Fairfull) in Freeport, Maine:

The butterfly-shaped "sunspot" near the bottom of the frame is the International Space Station. "We caught it making a transit of the sun," says Stetson. "The station's silhouette was huge."

The persistent lack of sunspots indicate a quiet sun with lower output than usual. A quiet sun = lower temperatures here. Posted by DaveH at August 23, 2008 4:16 PM