2009 is ending with a flurry of sunspots. The latest is sunspot 1039, which formed yesterday and is now crackling with low-level solar flares. Cai-Uso Wohler sends this picture of a B-class eruption from his backyard observatory in Bispingen, Germany:

Image
© Cai-Uso Wohler
So far, 65% of the days in December have brought sunspots--a sharp increase in percentages compared to earlier months of 2009 when sunspots were surpassingly rare. All six of December's sunspot groups have been members of new Solar Cycle 24. These numbers could herald the sun's awakening from the deepest solar minimum in nearly a century and a livelier sun in 2010. Stay tuned.

Marco Vidovic took these photos from Stojnci, Slovenia on December 26, 2009:

Image
© Marco VidovicSun cycle 24 begins
Image
© Marco Vidovic
Image
© Marco Vidovic