Solar Maximum : Expected To Reach In The Next Two Years
It has been recently reported that the sun is expected to reach “solar maximum” in the next two years.
- Solar Maximum is when the sun goes through a natural solar cycle approximately every 11 years.
- The cycle is marked by the increase and decrease of sunspots — visible as dark blemishes on the sun’s surface, or photosphere.
- The greatest number of sunspots in any given solar cycle is designated as “solar maximum.” The lowest number is “solar minimum.”
- This increased solar activity can cause extreme space weather events, including solar flares and eruptions.
- It can also disrupt radio communications and the power grid and have serious health consequences for astronauts.
