Both Sky and Telescope and Spaceweather.com are telling us about a very active sunspot region, and the potential for radiation activity (and big auroral displays). The cause is Sunspot 930, just now rotating into position so that any explosive activity will be directed toward earth instead of off to the side... The sun image above is from the National Solar Observatory on Sacramento Peak, in Sunspot, New Mexico. 
The Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) image from December 5th has a nifty scale at the bottom; yesterday's magnetogram from Kitt Peak (on right), Sacramento Peak's sister facility in Arizona, shows the size of the active area. Both images © National Solar Observatory/AURA/NSF.
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