The Sun Approaches Its 11 Year Minimum and Activity Cycle 24
Observations reveal that magnetic activity on the Sun varies dramatically over time, with a near periodic 11-year cycle. Large dark sunspots are frequently observed on the Sun during solar maximum and few, if any, sunspots are seen during solar minimum. Figure 1 compares images of the Sun’s visible disk during high (left) and low (right) solar activity. Sunspot occurrence is an indicator of a change in the Sun’s energy output. In addition to the sunspots, large bright prominences called faculae—faculae is a Latin word that means small torches—are more commonly observed during solar maximum. The occurrence of sunspots and faculae changes the total energy output from the Sun—total solar irradiance. (Read more…)
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