GROWING SUNSPOT: Sunspot AR2699 continues to grow, more than doubling in size since it appeared on Feb. 4th.

This movie from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory shows the sunspot expanding and turning toward Earth: [link to sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov (secure)]

The sunspot has developed an unstable "beta-gamma" magnetic field that harbors energy for M-class solar flares. NOAA forecasters estimate a 15% chance of such explosions on Feb. 9th.

With two primary dark cores larger than Earth and a scattering of moon-sized magnetic condensations stretching more than 100,000 km across the surface of the sun, AR2699 is an easy target for backyard solar telescopes.

[link to spaceweather.com]