As new active region AR11520 rounds the limb it is crackling with a complex Beta - Gamma magnetic field that harbours an 80% chance of M-class solar flares over the next 24 hours. The bright white areas in the photo are much smaller C-class flares that are continuosly crackling away. At over 127,000km in length it is over 10 times the size of Earth. Definitely worth keeping an eye on this one over the coming days as it gradually becomes more geo-effective and the risk from solar storms to Earth increases.
Taken with the 127mm PST mod @ 1900mm fl DMK31.
