SOLAR CYCLE #23

The Sun goes through cycles of high and low activity that repeat approximately every 11 years. The number of dark spots on the Sun (sunspots) marks this variation; as the number of sunspots increases, so does solar activity. Sunspots are sources of flares, the most violent events in the solar system. In a matter of minutes, a large flare releases a million times more energy than the largest earthquake. We are currently in Cycle 23.

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Big Bear Solar Observatory

Kitt Peak Observatory

International Solar Cycle Studies (ISCS)

A.L.P.O. Solar Section recent images

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