Sunspots
Sunspots are temporary phenomena on the photosphere of the Sun that appear as dark spots compared to surrounding regions. They are caused by intense magnetic activity, which inhibits convective activity and results in areas of reduced surface temperature. Sunspots can vary in size from a few hundred kilometers to tens of thousands of kilometers in diameter, and can persist for days to months. They are often associated with other solar phenomena such as flares, coronal mass ejections, and solar prominences. The number of sunspots on the Sun varies over an 11-year cycle, known as the solar cycle, which is driven by changes in the Sun's magnetic field. The study of sunspots and their associated phenomena is an important area of research in space and astronautical engineering, as they can have significant effects on space weather and the performance of spacecraft and satellites.
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