How Activity on the Sun Will Increase This Decade
Our Sun is an active place, with nuclear reactions going off constantly under its surface. But this activity is not always a constant measure. Scientists have observed that the Sun actually goes through a cycle of approximately 11 years. Midway into the cycle, it hits a peak of activity, followed by lows at the start and end of each cycle.
Scientists consider the start of each new sun cycle to be the lowest point in activity, called solar minimum. This minimum is determined several months after it takes place, as it takes several new months of data before it can be confirmed as the lowest levels of activity. Solar cycle 25 began in December 2019. This means that until sometime around late 2024 to early 2025 we can expect to see an increase in solar activity.
How do scientists track the level of solar activity?
Solar activity refers to phenomena that can be observed on the surface of the Sun. Things like sunspots and solar flares are examples of solar activity. One way that scientists measure the level of activity of the sun is by using a sunspot count. The sunspot count for each day can be charted over the course of a month to determine a monthly average. This monthly average is then compared to previous months to look for increases or decreases in solar activity.
