The Sun 16-5-09 - 3 active regions on the sun

For the first time in around a year there are now three active regions on the sun. The two SC24 regions are now in the north west and include 11017 which still displays a couple of small spots and the decaying companion active region further west which is very dispersed. The new active region which has just appeared in the north east is actually a repeat showing for AR 11016 according to the NOAA - this is an SC23 AR. Prominences are generally small today. The Ha view of 11017 and its companion is still quite impressive with lots of fibrils and small AR filaments.