Astronomy Picture of the Day

   [1]Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
      fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation
                    written by a professional astronomer.

                               2026 February 8
    [2]Most of the Sun is pictured peeking over a hill. On the surface of
     the Sun are several sunspots including a very large sunspot region
    toward the center-right. Please see the explanation for more detailed
                                information.

                 Active Sunspot Region 4366 Crosses the Sun
                 Image Credit & Copyright: [3]Daniel Korona

   Explanation: An unusually active sunspot region is now crossing the
   Sun. The region, labelled [4]AR 4366, is much larger than the Earth and
   has [5]produced several powerful solar [6]flares over the past ten
   days. In the featured image, the region is marked by large and dark
   [7]sunspots toward the upper right of the Sun's disk. The image
   captured the Sun over a hill in [8]Zacatecas, [9]Mexico, 5 days ago. AR
   4366 has become a candidate for the most active solar region in this
   entire 11-year [10]solar cycle. [11]Active solar regions are frequently
   associated with increased [12]auroral activity on the [13]Earth. Now
   reaching the edge, [14]AR 4366 will begin facing away from the Earth
   during the coming week. It is [15]not known, though, if the active
   region will survive long enough to reappear in about two weeks' time,
   as the [16]Sun rotates.

                     Tomorrow's picture: groovy Miranda
     __________________________________________________________________

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    Authors & editors: [28]Robert Nemiroff ([29]MTU) & [30]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([31]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Amber Straughn [32]Specific rights apply.
            [33]NASA Web Privacy, [34]Accessibility, [35]Notices;
                A service of: [36]ASD at [37]NASA / [38]GSFC,
                         [39]NASA Science Activation
                           & [40]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2602/Sunspot4366_Korona_1280.jpg
   3. mailto: dakoko_minera at live.com.ar
   4. https://www.spaceweather.gov/news/x42-flare-region-4366
   5. https://www.space.com/astronomy/sun/sun-unleashes-extraordinary-solar-flare-barrage-as-new-volatile-sunspot-turns-toward-earth
   6. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap180902.html
   7. https://science.nasa.gov/sun/sunspots/
   8. https://youtu.be/JiIIAFeW56E
   9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexico
  10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_cycle_25
  11. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap141022.html
  12. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap240522.html
  13. https://science.nasa.gov/earth/facts/
  14. https://www.spaceweather.com/archive.php?view=1&day=04&month=02&year=2026
  15. https://www.shitpostbot.com/img/sourceimages/cat-shrug-57b2eabb4e8db.jpeg
  16. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap200819.html
  17. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260207.html
  18. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  19. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  20. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  21. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  22. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  23. https://apod.com/feed.rss
  24. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  25. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  26. https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=260208
  27. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260209.html
  28. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  29. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  30. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
  31. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  32. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  33. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  34. https://www.nasa.gov/general/accessibility/
  35. https://www.nasa.gov/privacy/
  36. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  37. https://www.nasa.gov/
  38. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  39. https://science.nasa.gov/learners
  40. http://www.mtu.edu/