# Did I see sun spots? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 27, 2016, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-see-sun-spots/767033 "2016-09-27T14:00:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Kelevra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/97f17d/32.png) [@Kelevra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kelevra)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2016, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-see-sun-spots/767033/1 "2016-09-27T14:00:18Z")
This happened maybe 10 years ago. (I could probably dig up the exact date if it’s important.) I was traveling with a co-worker in West Virginia. Around 10 a.m. we were driving (me in the passenger seat) in just enough clouds that the sun was not much more than a bright disc. With my polarized sunglasses I could look directly at the sun. It seemed to me that I could see sun spots. My co-worker was driving and other than noting that he too could look at the sun, he didn’t want to take his eyes off the road long enough to confirm the sun spots. So are sun spots large enough to be visible with the naked eye? I looked several times and they didn’t appear to move so I don’t think it was floaters in my eyes or anything else. ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2016, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-see-sun-spots/767033/2 "2016-09-27T14:17:14Z")
Yes, sunspots visible to the naked eye are not uncommon. There was a [very large one](http://www.space.com/27610-giant-sunspot-mystifies-scientists.html) visible a couple years ago. I saw this one quite clearly with a pair of welding goggles. Sunspots were observed by Chinese astronomers by 800 BC and there is a drawing of sunspots in [John of Worster’s](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_of_Worcester) chronicle in 1128. –Mark ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2016, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-see-sun-spots/767033/3 "2016-09-27T14:55:56Z")
Or “John of Worcester” if you prefer to spell correctly. ☹ –Mark ---
**Author:** ![Kelevra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/97f17d/32.png) [@Kelevra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kelevra)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2016, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-see-sun-spots/767033/4 "2016-09-27T15:43:21Z")
Thanks, I thought I was imagining it. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2016, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-see-sun-spots/767033/5 "2016-09-27T15:52:14Z")
If you do want to dig up the actual date, it would be simple to find a solar image for that date. 10 years ago would have been near the solar minimum, so there wouldn’t have been very many sunspots. But even near the minimum, large naked-eye sunspots can occur. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2016, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-see-sun-spots/767033/6 "2016-09-27T16:15:36Z")
I don’t think ordinary polarized sunglasses provide eye protection against looking directly at the sun. Just in case it comes up again. ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2016, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-see-sun-spots/767033/7 "2016-09-27T16:23:55Z")
Good god, no. The only safe way to look directly at the sun is to use #14 welding glass, or a viewer specifically designed for solar viewing. Mylar viewers are cheap but somewhat dangerous because they can get torn or scratched and allow some sunlight through. Get your welding goggles soon to avoid the rush for the August 2017 solar eclipse! –Mark ---
**Author:** ![Kelevra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/97f17d/32.png) [@Kelevra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kelevra)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2016, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-see-sun-spots/767033/8 "2016-09-27T17:14:12Z")
> [@CookingWithGas](#): > > I don’t think ordinary polarized sunglasses provide eye protection against looking directly at the sun. Just in case it comes up again. The sun was somewhat obscured by low clouds. I know better than to look at the sun with just sunglasses on!🆒 The date was 7/28/2004 ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2016, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-see-sun-spots/767033/9 "2016-09-28T01:00:04Z")
For what it’s worth, you can (and do, every day) briefly glance at the Sun without welder’s goggles. Of course, you always immediately look away, and if you didn’t, it would quickly become painful. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2016, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-see-sun-spots/767033/10 "2016-09-28T02:45:41Z")
> [@Kelevra](#): > > The date was 7/28/2004 A photo of the Sun on the 23rd: [http://www.skyandtelescope.com/astronomy-news/observing-news/sunspots-visible/](http://www.skyandtelescope.com/astronomy-news/observing-news/sunspots-visible/) Drawings of the sunspots for July of that year: ftp://howard.astro.ucla.edu/pub/obs/drawings/2004/ On the drawing for 28th you can see the large sunspot has rotated to the edge. It was also noted here, along with significant auroral activity: [Spaceweather.com Time Machine](http://www.spaceweather.com/archive.php?day=28&month=07&year=2004&view=view)