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There's a huge sunspot group currently visible on the Sun, just approaching the center, spitting out flares and generally making an electromagnetic nuisance of itself. It's easy to see with an average sextant (currently about two minutes of arc across), and at sunset you should be able to resolve it 'naked eye'. Don't stare, but you can peek at the Sun as it's setting, no problem. Speaking of sunset, tomorrow observers in the northeastern US and Canada will see the Sun setting with a sliver cut into the right edge, just barely partially eclipsed. Observers further west in North America will see a much deeper partial eclipse. The eclipse and the giant sunspot should make for some impressive photos. The weather looks bad for New England, but there should be a nice view from other parts of the US and Canada.

Here's a puzzle, what angle would you measure to shoot a lunar distance during a partial solar eclipse? And how accurately could you determine longitude by watching the partially eclipsed Sun setting tomorrow?

-FER