One way to track the solar cycle is by counting the number of sunspots, which are dark, cooler patches on the Sun’s surface.

When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Credit: Created in Canva Pro by Daisy Dobrijevic 2024 was a busy year for solar news, but what ...

The 11-year sunspot cycle is well underway. At the end of 2021, former sunspot cycle 24 finally ended, ushering the next cycle, No. 25. The change of cycles is known in the world of solar physics as a ...

Much of the Sun's tempestuous nature comes from its core. At its core is dense, electrically charged gas. Electrically charged gas is a special form of matter called a plasma. This roiling, boiling ...

"The next set of solar cycles will be more active." When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. Space weather may intensify in the coming ...

It wasn't just my imagination. Sunspot and solar flare activity have ticked up more quickly than anticipated in the past year. We know our star has its ups and downs. About every 11 years, sunspot ...

While the the sun might appear like a still disk in the sky, our star is actually a dynamic object that goes through cycles of activity. But what exactly are solar cycles and what are they ...

December 2019 marked the beginning of Solar Cycle 25. The Sun’s activity has quickly ramped up and even though we haven’t reached peak levels in this cycle, the Sun’s activity is already exceeding ...

Solar power has a dark side: panels are still built to be thrown away, and we risk creating a mountain of waste that locks ...