Are We in A New Maunder Minimum Cycle?

[dmill1220]

Hi Folks,

I read somewhere last year that our Sun was supposed to start its Maximum Solar Cycle very soon, but It looks like I have been had again by bad Information on the Internet.

I have even purchased a Full aperture solar filter for my 6 inch refractor, awaiting the start of the New Solar Maximum cycle, But according to this site, NASA/Marshall Solar Physics.

We are in fact right at the Minimum, if you go by the charts that are posted on this website.
The Solar sunspot predictions that are on this site say that I have a long wait ahead of me.

Could we be heading into another Maunder minimum?
We have been experiencing one of the coldest and snowiest winters here In NH, than we have had in quite a while.

Dennis

[Darryl]

I wasn't sure what the Maunder Minimum was so I looked it up. It turns out that during a 30 year period during the Maunder Minimum which occurred between approximately 1645 - 1715 only "50 sunspots" were observed compared to what would be a more normal 40,000 to 50,000 sunspots. I would say that is a very dramatic decrease in sunspot activity. During the minimum a good part of the world experienced more severe winters but this has not be proven to be a result of the lack of sunspot activity.

[dmill1220]

Hi Darryl,

I agree with you, there's no definitive proof, it just seems like a funny coincidence.
But I do believe that our Suns activity has a more of an effect on our Eco-system than it's given credit for.

Here is what I found on a NOAA site, The Sun and Sunspots,
To me it seems that the jury is still out on this one, While I agree that we have no proof just a correlation, I do find this to be an interesting correlation, It makes me wonder just how variable has our Sun been in its past history, especially during past ice ages that our planet has gone thru

If we could Tie in sunspot activity with Major weather changes it could explain some of our past events.

Dennis

[AstroTasmania]

Hi,

Good news for the solar observers, according to the experts, solar cycle No 24 has started, as evidenced by the magnetic pole reversal of a small sunspot group late last year.

It is predicted that this cycle will be a very active one, but not for a few more years yet, As we are at absolute minimum, it is a slow climb over the next 11 years to reach solar max over the 22-year cycle. I would not rush out to buy solar observing gear just yet! spend it on something you can use now.

Here is a link to my AST site, check out solar images over the past 10 years or so: Shevill Mathers

Regards

Shevill

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