Astronomy Picture of the Day ·

AR 4478: Giant Sunspot Group

The Astronomy Picture of the Day for June 28, 2026 is “AR 4478: Giant Sunspot Group,” an image. The picture is copyrighted by its creator (Image Credit & Copyright: Alfredo Vidal Pérez). The original explanation runs about 188 words.

The Sun is pictured in yellow with surface structure. In the middle of the frame are many circuitous dark spots. The edge of the Sun is visible at the top of the image. Please see the explanation for more detailed information.
Credit: Image Credit & Copyright: Alfredo Vidal Pérez Copyrighted Shown from science.nasa.gov. Not hosted by OpenOrbit.

From the explanation

“Right now, one of the largest sunspot groups in recent history is crossing the Sun. Active Region 4478 is not only big — it’s violent, showing tangled magnetic fields capable of throwing off huge clouds of particles into the Solar System .”

— APOD editors, June 28, 2026

Read the full explanation on science.nasa.gov

At a glance

Date
June 28, 2026
Type
Image
Credit
Credit: Image Credit & Copyright: Alfredo Vidal Pérez
Copyright
Copyrighted by the credited creator. Ask the copyright holder before reusing it.
Explanation length
About 188 words

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Source

Copy taken Oct 28, 2026, 2:39 AM EDT. The image and explanation belong to their creators. OpenOrbit is not affiliated with or endorsed by NASA.