Sunspot activity on the sun surged to levels not seen since September 2001, with August’s average sunspot count exceeding all forecasts. The number of sunspots was more than double what experts initially predicted, marking a significant intensification of the current solar maximum.
Sunspots are dark patches on the sun caused by electromagnetic radiation breaking through the star’s magnetic field. Alongside solar flares and coronal mass ejections, sunspot numbers indicate the sun’s progress through its roughly 11-year solar cycle, peaking during the solar maximum.
In August, the sun averaged 215.5 daily sunspots, the highest since 2001, with a peak of 337 sunspots on August 8, the most in a 24-hour period since March 2001. This data suggests that solar maximum is well underway, potentially more active than initially anticipated.
When Solar Cycle 25 began in 2020, scientists predicted a relatively weak cycle, much like Solar Cycle 24, which peaked in 2014. The initial forecast expected an average of 107.8 sunspots for August 2024, far below the actual count. Rising sunspot numbers, powerful solar flares, and recent geomagnetic storms confirm that solar maximum is intensifying.
Solar maximums typically last 1-2 years or more, and continued solar activity could increase the likelihood of powerful solar storms impacting Earth, potentially disrupting infrastructure and triggering widespread auroras.
