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"Do sunspot regions exist today that could be a source of solar storms?"

Sunspotters play a critical role in the Student Observation Network. As a Sunspotter you may be among the first observers in the Student Observation Network to observe a sunspot develop the potential to be a source of a solar flare or coronal mass ejection. You could predict a solar storm and alert other students in the Student Observation Network of the storm's potential to have an effect on Earth. In Sunspotters are resources to help you find out what a sunspot is, when and where they appear, and how they change over time. You can also discover some of the ideas scientists have about sunspots and how they may affect Space Weather.

From Students: Learn how to make and use simple solar telescopes in field observations at your school or at home. Study the Sun and its sunspots and predict which sunspots are most likely to be a source of solar flares or coronal mass ejections (CMEs). Make drawings of the Sun and its sunspots daily and observe the changes in the sunspots over time.

From Observatories: Ground-based, professional observatories provide images of the Sun and allow you to observe sunspots. You can compare these images of the Sun with your own. You can also use these images when viewing conditions are not ideal for your own solar telescope.

From Satellites: NASA satellites monitor the Sun allowing you to see images of the Sun even if clouds prevent you from seeing the Sun from the ground. These satellites also allow you to view the Sun with special filters that reveal more of the dynamics of the Sun than you can see from the ground.

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