First Giant Sunspot of the Year Spotted by NASA’s SDO

A massive sunspot was captured by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory on Jan. 1. A similar massive sunspot was captured in 2005.

The giant sunspot labeled AR1944 was captured on Jan. 1, 2014, by NASA's SDO when it reached the left horizon of the Sun. Along with the rotation of the sun the enormous sunspot gradually headed towards the right and is currently lodged right at the heart (centre) of the sun.

As this turned towards the Earth Tuesday, a powerful X1.2 class solar flare was emitted.  The most intense solar flares are listed under X-class. This is the first major flare of the year 2014 from the largest sunspot AR1944.

The NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center claimed that the flare triggered a strong radio blackout and a moderate magnetic storm watch was issued, which means a coronal mass ejection (CME) might be making its way toward Earth.  

CMEs are massive bursts of solar winds and magnetic fields that cause an aurora when they reach the earth's atmosphere.

Sunspots are the dark regions on the surface of the sun that contain complex arrangements of magnetic fields that are continuously shifting and include the corona that floats above the sunspots, according to the  NASA press release.

One such large sunspot was captured on Jan. 17, 2005, by the European Space Agency and NASA's Solar and Heliospheric Observatory. Click here to view the image.

The astronomers are keeping an eye on the monster sunspot as it continues its journey across the sun. They will monitor the changes it undergoes and will learn how the complicated magnetic fields trigger various space weather events.