AROUND THE BEND: The biggest sunspot in two years, sunspot 1024, has rotated over the sun's western limb and is no longer visible from Earth. But that doesn't mean the sunspot has disappeared. Here it is in an ultraviolet photo taken just a few hours ago by NASA's STEREO-A
spacecraft:
STEREO-A is stationed over the sun's western horizon where it can monitor sunspots no longer visible from Earth. The spacecraft will track sunspot 1024 for as much as four more days, gathering valuable data on the sunspot's rate of growth or decay. Indeed, if the sunspot can hold itself together for only two more weeks, the sun's rotation will carry it around to face Earth once again. Stay tuned for updates from around the bend.
