The Sun will be intensely active in the coming months. However, it is not yet clear when this mobility will end, that is, when the magnetic poles will switch places and the stationary period of the cycle will begin.
Elsayed Talaat, a meteorologist from NOAA, said, “This statement does not mean that the most intense solar activity we will see in this cycle is happening now,” adding that they can only understand in which month the maximum activity will peak after months or years.
SOLAR MAXIMUM HAS BEEN REACHED
According to the statement made by NASA, the Sun goes through certain cycles every 11 years and various changes occur during these cycles.
Scientists do not fully understand the processes inside the Sun. It is difficult to predict the Sun’s cycle precisely because each cycle can be of different length and intensity.
One of the most important indicators of the solar cycle are sunspots on the Sun’s surface.
These spots are areas where magnetic fields are concentrated, blocking the flow of hot plasma, causing these areas to appear colder and darker than the surroundings.
SOLAR FLARES AND THEIR EFFECTS ON THE EARTH
During the maximum phase of the solar cycle, the number of sunspots increases, leading to an increase in solar flares and coronal mass ejections.
Solar flares can cause interruptions in radio signals, while coronal mass ejections can interact with the Earth’s magnetic field and create geomagnetic storms.
These storms can damage power grids, satellite operations, and communications systems. However, these events also cause the formation of fascinating polar lights.
NASA emphasized that the current solar cycle is stronger than previously estimated, but not to dangerous extents.
The most powerful explosion ever recorded was the X9.0 class explosion that occurred on October 4.
Although this was among the largest eruptions on record, it did not have a serious impact on Earth.
In the coming months, this period of intense activity of the Sun will continue and scientists may obtain new and important information about the Sun in this process.