Excellent images Paul
I'm no expert but it would appear to me in the first image, to be granulation on the surface more than artifacts in the images. Artifacts tend to have a more consistant pattern, dont they?. Besides I see faint hints of the same looking granulation through my 8" newt and some baadar film.
It's a wild sunspot that is currently visible, Bet Houghy is kicking himself for selling that PST of his last week lol, c ya shoda saved it for my lol
regards