The Sun has reached the maximum phase of its activity in the current cycle. According to scientists’ estimates, it will last about a year, after which our star will enter a period of decline.
Solar activity is not a fixed quantity. It changes periodically. The best known is the so-called 11-year cycle. About every 11 years, the Sun’s magnetic poles change places, and it passes from a calm state to an active and turbulent state.
The most obvious manifestation of the increase in solar activity is the increase in the number of sunspots, which are the visible component of active regions, which in turn are the source of flares and mass ejections. Through tracking the number of spots, scientists determine the course of the solar cycle and, subsequently, solar activity.
After studying the dynamics of the current solar cycle, researchers from NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have determined that the Sun has reached the maximum of the current cycle. They made the announcement in a teleconference held on October 15.
According to scientists, sunspot activity in the current solar cycle has slightly exceeded their expectations, but generally remains within normal range. So far, the most powerful flare of this cycle is the X 9.0 flare that occurred on October 3. The most powerful geomagnetic event was the storm that impacted our planet on the night of May 10-11, 2024. It created the strongest geomagnetic storm on Earth in the last two decades and may have produced some of the strongest auroras in the last 500 years.
However, the researchers stress that although the Sun has peaked, the specific month with the solar activity reaching its peak will not be determined for several months or years. It can be calculated only ex post facto, when they have data on how activity has changed throughout the current cycle.
Researchers suggest that the maximum phase will last for about another year, during which we will witness several more powerful flares and storms. Then, the Sun will enter a decline phase that will bring its activity to a minimum. It will probably be reached at the beginning of the next decade.
According to Phys.org
