Quote:
Originally Posted by REASON
...It appears we are at the beginning of a new 11 year cycle when the magnetic field lines are not so tangled.
Should we really be surprised by the lack of sunspots during this period?
I know the article mentions that this period of inactivity is longer than usual, but I didn't catch where it said how much longer. Does anyone know about that?
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by NASA
...What's going on? Hathaway explains: "We have two solar cycles in progress at the same time. Solar Cycle 24 has begun (the first new-cycle spot appeared in January 2008), but Solar Cycle 23 has not ended."
Strange as it sounds, this is perfectly normal. Around the time of solar minimum--i.e., now--old-cycle spots and new-cycle spots frequently intermingle. Eventually Cycle 23 will fade to zero, giving way in full to Solar Cycle 24, but not yet.
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NASA - Old Solar Cycle Returns
What might be unusual, is that if sunspot numbers remain below the predicted rise, and/or they continue to have the magnetic orientation of cycle 23. There just so happens to have emerged a new sunspot today, and we will have to see its magnetic orientation to see if it belongs to cycle #23 or the new #24.
On the left limb of the Sun: >>
SOHO MDI Continuum Latest Image
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semantics is not always just pedantic quibbling. ~ douglas r. hofstadter
