Solar Maximum Spurs Solar Missions:
NASA’s PUNCH mission, aimed at studying the Sun’s corona, is the third major solar mission since 2023, reflecting a rise in solar missions linked to the solar cycle, which is nearing its solar maximum.
- The solar cycle is an 11-year period during which the Sun’s magnetic field flips, causing the north and south poles to switch places.
- During the solar maximum (when the Sun is most active), solar activity—such as sunspots, solar flares, and coronal mass ejections—increases, impacting satellite communications and power grids.
- Sunspots are small, dark, and cooler areas where the magnetic field is particularly strong.
- The cycle ends with the solar minimum (when sunspot activity is at its lowest), leading to a decline in solar activity until the next cycle begins.
- The solar cycle is tracked by counting sunspots.
