Topic: The Sun is Waking Up: 5 Sunspots Today

[sam]

Here's something we've not seen in a long while: five sunspots on the Sun at once. Is the Sun finally waking up from its unusually long and deep solar minimum slumber? While activity on the Sun usually ebbs and flows on a fairly predictable 11-year cycle, this current cycle has been anything but conventional. In 2009, there were 260 days (71% of the time) that the Sun was 'spotless,' but now in 2010 so far, the Sun has had spots been spotless for only 35 days. With the last solar maximum occurring in 2001, maybe the Sun is just now ramping up to the next maximum, which is set for 2013. Recent solar flares on August 1 and 7, and now these sunspots may be signaling that the Sun is "throwing off the covers" and starting to wake up.

http://www.universetoday.com/70940/the-sun-is-waking-up-5-sunspots-today/

[Simon]

Like the second pic.   

[Clive]

This is good news for those of us who enjoy aurorae.     Next year and 2012 should be particulary good for sunspots and aurorae.

[Rik]

How about acne though?

[Simon]

Stop taking the pus. 

[Rik]

[Simon]