Sun has entered into deepest period of Sunshine Recession

The sun has reached into a state of ‘solar minimum’. It has been more than 100 days since sun has shown zero sunspots. The sun is to enter into the deepest period of ‘sunshine recession’.

Highlights

The cycle of the sun lasts for 11 years. This is called Solar Cycle. Solar minimum does not mean that sun becomes dull or its activity reduces. It simply means that the sun is changing forms. The sun spots fade away every 11 years.

Solar Cycle

The Solar Cycle is also called the Solar Magnetic Activity Cycle. It exists for 11 years and is measured in terms of number of sun spots on the surface. Sunspots were observed in the early 17^th century. It was first observed by Galileo Galilei.

Under Solar Cycle, the solar maximum and solar minimum refers to the periods of maximum and minimum sunspots respectively.

Magnetic polarity

The sun spots are magnetic in nature. The magnetic polarity of sun spots are constant throughout the cycle. It is opposite across the equator throughout a cycle. Also, the magnetic polarity reversed itself from one cycle to the other.

Month: Current Affairs - May, 2020