Zero Sunspots

I believe the cycles are variable and there is no set date for the "solar minimum". If I recall correctly, scientists define the minimum to occur at some set time after so many consecutive days of no sunspot activity. In short, the minimum may occur earlier than predicted and we may see the upswing start soon!

 

If you look at charts showing the visable sunspots over a period of time, you will see that they are certainly not smooth sinewaves by any stretch of the imagination. There will be many minor peaks and valleys for any given timeframe, and sometimes a flair or other anomoly will happen which will upset the applecart for everyone! That is part of the fascination of this hobby!

Sunspot activity has been known to have an effect on our climate as well, and that famous picture of Washington crossing the Delaware is believed to be truer than originally thought because the Winters around that time were much harsher than they "normally" are, due, some scientists are now saying, to a variance in the normal sunspot cycle!

Just an interesting observation! 73, Jim

 

And in Alaska, they're a flat line with a two day spike every 11 years.
ERic

 

I've heard about Alaska, Eric, isn't that where there are two seasons, Winter, and "two days of poor sledding" ? ? ?

 

Yes, that's true. They've been as short as 9.5 years. On average they're 11 years.

My comment about being a year or so away from the minimum was based on the projected smoothed sunspot curves at NOAA Cycle 23 Progression which shows things bottoming out around January 2007.

At Historical Sunspot Cycle Info you can get some plots for past cycles. The recent one, 23, looks rather wimpy in comparison to the several before it.

 

We need to start throwing crap into the sun, to "seed" it!  All that space junk they are trying to think of how to get rid of!  Toss it in!  All those old nukes that the USSR doesnt need..  

Some of those burritos from el taco llama..  Wait, no those might blow the sun up...

 

I think we could solve our nuclear waste problems by dropping it into the sun. That great big gasball won't notice.

DV is the only obstacle. Unfortunately, it's a big one.

It's all the more reason to move industry into space, I say.

 

In December 05 I was fortunate enough to have a 1 houwindow where I was able to make about 9 contacts on 10 M from South East Alaska to the Utah, AZ, and SF Bay area in CA. I was sooooo excited. Then ....silence.  Sigh.

 

I beg your pardon! oh... THAT big gasball.. yeah maybe not...

Last couple days I get maybe a couple sentences on 20 mtr psk before it fades to alphabet soup.

 

Sunspots are actually cooler areas on the sun's 'surface'