The Sun was blank more than 89% of the time from June 22 – September 22, with only 6 brief and tiny sunspots and not a single significant solar flare during this period of extreme quiet, Dr. Tony Phillips of the SpaceWeather reports. "This is a sign that Solar…
Current solar cycle 24 is declining more quickly than forecast, NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) reports. The smoothed, predicted sunspot number for April to May 2018 is about 15. However, the actual monthly values have been lower, they say. Will…
At this year's Fall Meeting of American Geophysical Union, held in San Francisco (December 9 – 13), several scientists made a presentation on weak Solar Cycle 24 and its consequences.
They agree that the current solar cycle is on track to be
On this day, exactly 10 years ago, the largest ever recorded solar flare in history erupted from Sun's western limb. This mega flare started its historic eruption at 19:29 UTC from Active Region 10486 and peaked around 19:50 UTC.
Ionizing radiation from the
A massive array of sunspots AR1785 – 1787 has rotated over the Sun's southeastern limb and will position itself directly facing Earth in the coming days. This sunspot complex is one of the largest in Solar Cycle 24 and is located in southern
A new report issued by the National Research Council (NRC), “The Effects of Solar Variability on Earth’s Climate,” lays out some of the surprisingly complex ways that solar activity can make itself felt on our planet.The luminosity of our own sun varies a 0.1% over
The solar cycle (or solar magnetic activity cycle) is the periodic change in the sun’s activity (including changes in the levels of solar radiation and ejection of solar material) and appearance (visible in changes in the number of sunspots, flares, and other
Science has only just begun to understand how cyclical changes in the Sun effect Earth’s weather and climate. But the more technological human society grows, the more vulnerable we may become.Activity on the Sun is due to reach its peak around early 2014, so expect
The official Sunspot number for Oct 21,2011 is 207. This is a new record for Solar Cycle 24. Despite the amount of Sunspots, only low level M-Class flares have taken place thus far. This could soon change. Solar activity has been moderate with low level
Active sunspot 1263, which just two days ago produced the most powerful solar flare of the new Solar Cycle (an X7), has left the Earthside of the sun. It is now beginning a two week transit across the solar farside. We can still see signs of its ongoing activity,
