This image of our sun from May 29, 2020 shows the largest radiation burst since autumn 2017. Its foothills can be seen in the top left corner of the sun. This flare emanates from a group of hidden sunspots that herald the reawakening of our home star – and the beginning of a new cycle of activity for the sun.
The activity of our sun follows a cycle: over the course of about eleven years it oscillates between a phase of calm and a phase of frequent sun spots and outbreaks. Close to the solar maximum, there are particularly frequent strong solar storms, which in extreme cases damage satellites and can disrupt telecommunications. Times of minimal solar activity, on the other hand, can lead to climate cooling and cold spells.
New sunspots observed
The problem, however: whether the sun has reached a maximum or a minimum can only be determined afterwards. That is why astronomers have to continuously monitor our star in order to read a decreasing or increasing trend from the activity. In the past few months it looked as if the sun could have reached its minimum relatively according to plan. But before it becomes measurably more active again, it is not clear whether it has actually “bottomed out”.
But that is exactly what could now be seen. Because NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory (SCO) shows that a larger group of sunspots has formed on the back of the sun. These particularly magnetically active spots are not yet visible from Earth, but they will gradually move towards us as the sun rotates.
Strongest flare since 2017
This photo from May 29, 2020 shows that these new sunspots are active. In the upper left edge of the sun you can see the foothills of a so-called class M flare – a radiation outbreak of the second highest category. Although this flare was not the strongest of its type, it is the largest solar radiation outbreak since autumn 2017, as NASA reports.
According to astronomers, this could indicate that the sun is awakening and is entering a phase of increased activity again from its minimum. If this is confirmed, the official start of the solar cycle would be 25.
Source: NASA
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