Posted on 06/14/2011 11:56:14 AM PDT by TaraP
Astronomers will unveil a "major result" on Tuesday (June 14) regarding the sun's 11-year sunspot cycle.
The announcement will be made at a solar physics conference in New Mexico, according to an alert released today (June 10) by the American Astronomical Society. The discussion will begin at 1 p.m. EDT (1700 GMT).
Sunspots are blotches on the sun that appear dark because they are significantly cooler than the rest of the solar surface. While they look small from our vantage point on Earth, these enigmatic structures can be huge — up to 30,000 miles (48,280 kilometers) across, or as wide as the planet Neptune. Sunspots last for a few days or weeks before dissipating.
Sunspots are of interest to astronomers because they serve as an indicator of solar activity, which waxes and wanes in an 11-year cycle. In fact, scientists map out this cycle based on sunspot numbers.
Currently, the sun is in the midst of its Solar Cycle 24, the 24th cycle since observations began.
Recently, the sun has begun rousing itself from an extended quiescent period. Over the past several months, our star has unleashed several immensely powerful flares and sent huge volumes of solar plasma rocketing toward Earth, in massive eruptions known as coronal mass ejections (CMEs).
In the near future, the flares and CMEs should get more frequent and more intense. Researchers predict that solar activity will peak sometime in 2013 or 2014.
Return to SPACE.com Tuesday for the results of the sunspot study announcement.
Thanks!
The sun went nova eight minutes ago. Film at eleven.
I’m not worried. Obama’s windmills and electric cars will fix all of this, but first he needs more tax money.
Stock up on firewood.
So, what is the “major result”?
It’s at the link. Solar cycle 25 will be much reduced, possibly a new maunder minimum.
The sun went nova eight minutes ago. Film at eleven.
And that’s the end of the world news, up next sports.
An extended period of reduced solar activity.
Result bump!
The article is not at all clear what the implications are. Not exactly stellar reporting, it's really missing important information.
Reduced solar magnetic activity. Not clear if it means less solar energy output, at least I’m not clear.
Implications are dire for the Global Warming crowd, but stellar for heating fuel salesman.......
One implication is the complete demise of any scientific standing, if any still existed, for the warmists.
>>It’s at the link. Solar cycle 25 will be much reduced, possibly a new maunder minimum.<<
I had already read about that. I was hoping for something “major”.
Heck, we wer in a cycle of no sunspots just a few years ago and everyone was beginning to get concerned. Isn’t this a bit like reporting the first late winter snowfall?
>>It’s at the link. Solar cycle 25 will be much reduced, possibly a new maunder minimum.<<
I had already read about that. I was hoping for something “major”.
Heck, we wer in a cycle of no sunspots just a few years ago and everyone was beginning to get concerned. Isn’t this a bit like reporting the first winter snowfall?
Isn't eight minutes the time for light to travel from the un to the earth?
In sports, the Miami Heat coach asked Lebron James if he had change for a dollar and all Lebron gave him was three quarters.
We never entered a period like that experienced in the Maunder Minimum also known as the little ice age. Pretty important if they are right.
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