The Sun is stirring from its latest slumber. As sunspots and flares bubble from the Sun’s surface, representatives from NASA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency (NOAA), and the Solar Cycle Prediction Panel have announced the Sun has reached its solar maximum period.
The solar cycle is the natural cycle of the Sun as it transitions between low and high activity. During the most active part of the cycle, known as solar maximum, the Sun can unleash immense explosions of light, energy, and solar radiation — all of which create conditions known as space weather. Space weather can affect satellites and astronauts in space, as well as communications systems — such as radio and GPS — and power grids on Earth.
The solar cycle is the natural cycle of the Sun as it transitions between low and high activity. During the most active part of the cycle, known as solar maximum, the Sun can unleash immense explosions of light, energy, and solar radiation — all of which create conditions known as space weather. Space weather can affect satellites and astronauts in space, as well as communications systems — such as radio and GPS — and power grids on Earth.
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LearningTranscript
00:00Roughly every 11 years, the sun's magnetic field completely flips.
00:05This means the sun's north and south magnetic poles switch places.
00:10Around the time of this flip, solar activity gradually ramps up.
00:15The sun will have more sunspots and solar eruptions like solar flares and coronal mass ejections.
00:22The peak of this activity is known as solar maximum.
00:26Solar maximum marks the halfway point of the solar cycle and usually means a year or two of high solar activity.
00:33During this time, we might see more severe geomagnetic storms at Earth, which trigger aurora,
00:39but also threaten our communications, satellites, and power grids.
00:44NASA scientists continue to study the solar cycle so we can better understand solar activity to protect our technology in space and on Earth.
00:56Beeping
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