J. Aceto, a high school student with aspirations to attend the Maine College of Art, drew these two images of solar active region 1108 based upon photographic images taken by my astronomy students.
The images show the active region as it appeared near the sun’s E limb. The first drawing in the series shows a foreshorted image of the active region. The foreshortening of sunspots near the sun’s limb was first noted by Galileo. He used his observations and understanding of this phenomenon to prove that sunspots were on the sun (not transiting objects, which would remain the same size thoroughout a transit). The second drawing shows how far the the active region has moved in a 24 hour period due to the rotation of the sun.
solar active region 1108
observed from S. Portland, ME
observing/imaging sessions: September 16 and 17, 2010
drawing: March 23, 2011
pencil
submitted by J. Stetson
J. Stetson
Quite an interesting piece of artwork.
Scott.