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Solar Week - Ask a Question » Archives of previous runs of Solar Week » 2006 March 06-10 » Sunspots » Sunspots

Sunspots

Last post 03-08-2006 3:30 PM by Laura Peticolas. 2 replies.
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  • 03-08-2006 10:11 AM

    Sunspots

    Reply Contact

    Alyson, (BK)

     

    Why is there no sunspots, or very little?

     

     

  • 03-08-2006 10:41 AM In reply to

    • Dawn Myers
    • Top 10 Contributor
    • Joined on 02-27-2005
    • Goddard Space Flight Center
    • Posts 58

    Re: Sunspots

    Reply Contact
    Hello Alyson

    Currently the Sun is in Solar Minimum. Solar minimum is the period during the solar cycle when the number of sunspots is the lowest. The solar cycle is an 11 year cycle.

    Dawn

  • 03-08-2006 3:30 PM In reply to

    Re: Sunspots

    Reply Contact

    Hi Alyson,

    I thought I might tell you a little more about the solar cycle.  This 11 year cycle is due to magnetic fields.  The Sun is like a very complicated and ever-changing magnet.  And the invisible force around magnets are known as "magnetic fields."  These fields can get twisted up and break and become less twisted.  Where there are strong magnetic fields, the Sun is cooler and these regions look darker.  These are sunspots.  Right now, most of the Sun's magnetic fields are not at all twisted up and so there are not regions that are cooler and so there are no sunspots.

    Laura
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