Canada Aviation and Space Museum
The Sun is Nearing its Periodic Solar Minimum
The number of black Sunspots on the surface of the Sun indicate the Sun's activity level (image credit: NASA).
Based on counts of sun spots on the surface of the Sun, it looks like our star is heading towards a solar minimum. This happens every 11 years or so, and is related to how the internal and external magnetic fields in the Sun interact with each other. Keeping track of this activity is important, because it can help us predict geomagnetic storms on Earth.
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The Sun is Nearing its Periodic Solar Minimum
Jesse Rogerson, PhD
Jesse is a passionate scientist, educator, and science communicator. As an assistant professor at York University in the Department of Science, Technology, and Society, he teaches three classes: History of Astronomy, Introduction to Astronomy, and Exploring the Solar System. He frequently collaborates with the Canada Aviation and Space Museum, and lends his expert voice to the Ingenium Channel. Jesse is an astrophysicist, and his research explores how super massive black holes evolve through time. Whether in the classroom, through social media, or on TV, he encourages conversations about how science and society intersect, and why science is relevant in our daily lives.
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