THE SUN

WARNING: never attempt to look directly at the sun without using proper solar filtration- you will suffer permanent damage to your eyes.

The following images were obtained by eyepiece projection with a solar filter fitted to the front of the telescope.

	Imaged on the 17th January 2005, the very large and active sunspot group 720 had already unleashed several M-class and one X2-class flare towards Earth.
	An image taken on the 31st March 2001. The largest sunspot group was responsible for the burst of superb auroral displays during the last week of March 2001; 15cm f/4 reflector used.
	An image taken on the 31st October 2001. A few days later the large spot unleashed a coronal mass ejection which produced colourful auroras on the 5th and 6th of November; 15cm f/4 reflector used.
	26th October 2003; a white light image through a Takahashi 3" refractor showing the huge and complex sunspot groups 10484 and 10486 (lower right). Telescope courtesy of Douglas Cooper, SAS. 10486 unleashed the 3rd most powerful solar flare ever recorded, X28, on the 28th Oct. 2003.