The sun's next cycle of increased activity might have begun last week, according to a NASA scientist. Solar activity waxes and wanes on an 11-year cycle. During the peak, the last of which occurred in 2001 and 2002, sunspots are common and solar storms frequent. The storms, which pummel Earth with charged particles, can knock out satellites and occasionally disrupt radio and even power transmissio... read full post picked by AutumnLotus 2 years ago

Solar activity goes in a roughly 11-year cycle. Sunspots are the visible signs of that activity, and they are the sites from which massive solar storms lift off. The past two years have marked the lowest low in the cycle since 1913, and for a while scientists were wondering if activity would ever pick back up. picked by kakana 5 months ago

NASA′s Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO) spacecraft has spotted the first major activity of the new solar cycle. On May 5 STEREO-B observed a Type II radio burst and a bright, fast coronal mass ejection (CME) emanating from the far side of the sun. The activity originated in a solar active region that rotated into view from Earth on May 8. picked by AutumnLotus 7 months ago

Solar Cycle 23, how can we miss you if you won't go away? Barely three months after forecasters announced the beginning of new Solar Cycle 24, old Solar Cycle 23 has returned. Actually, it never left. picked by AutumnLotus 2 years ago

U.S. scientists say the next 11-year cycle of solar storms will likely start next March and peak in late 2011 or mid-2012. NOAA said the storms could affect power grids, critical military and airline communications, satellites, Global Positioning System signals, and even threaten astronauts with harmful radiation. picked by AutumnLotus 3 years ago

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Friday that the first sunspot of a new 11-year cycle has appeared in the sun's northern hemisphere. The frequency of sunspots rises and falls during these cycles, and the start of a new cycle indicates they are likely to begin increasing. picked by AutumnLotus 2 years ago

A report by the National Academy of Sciences found that if a storm as severe as one in 1859 occurred today, it could cause $1 trillion to $2 trillion in damage the first year and take four to 10 years to recover. picked by kakana 7 months ago

Australian astronomers may have found a solution to how far-away Jupiter and Saturn drive the sun's solar cycle. Astronomer Dr Ian Wilson and colleagues suggest Jupiter and Saturn affect the sun's movement and its rotation, and hence its sunspot activity. picked by AutumnLotus 1 year ago

Scientists have been puzzling in recent months over the sun's lack of spots, which signifies very low activity. The sun is in the midst of an expected low in its 11-year cycle of sunspots and storms but the lull has gone on much longer than expected.
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Now researchers think they know why. picked by AutumnLotus 5 months ago

The Sun is now in the quietest phase of its 11-year activity cycle, the solar minumum - in fact, it has been unusually quiet this year. Scientists are unsure of the significance of this unusual calm. picked by Bornbad 1 year ago