What Is Happening With The Sun?

[GreenStormCloud]

No sunspots for months. What is up? What does it means?

[byronius]

1. The two counter-rotating whirlpools that generate the magnetic field have slowed.

The magnetic field is fading fast. Very strange.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/8/26/772767/-Suns-Magnetic-Field-Fading,-No-One-Knows-Why

[GreenStormCloud]

5. Interesting. N/T

[RoccoR5955]

2. It's just the sun's natural cycle.

There have been other lows. Notably in 1901 and 1913. This could be a larger cycle that has not been observed previously.

[mike_c]

3. without the outward pressure of sunspots bubbling to the surface...

...the sun will soon collapse into a dense neutronium core, metamorphosing under its own immense gravity into 99.99 percent pure dylithium within a few seconds of its final contraction. The resulting explosion will wipe out all life in this planetary system, including Earth's, while simultaneously filling near space with unlimited free energy stored in massive dylithium chrystals the size of planets. Bummer about all the people, though. Don't forget your towel.

[DavidDvorkin]

6. But then aliens will be able to mine the system in order to run their warp engines

So it's not all bad.

[Duer 157099]

9. Frankly I think it's past due.

Should hurry up before this species infects any other solar systems.

[PavePusher]

16. Wow. Do you hate humans that much? Seriously? n/t

[joshcryer]

10. AHAHA, I laughed so hard I think I woke my brother up.

AHAHHA, so good.

[rayofreason]

14. ...and thanks for all the fish. n/t

[Tesha]

19. In other words, "Shit happens", huh? (NT)

[tridim]

4. It's gonna blow

Duck and cover!

[Orrex]

7. Why the hell should I care? It's night-time here.

[Ptah]

8. Here are web pages for two instruments that might have the answers:

http://gong.nso.edu/





http://solis.nso.edu/

[jakeXT]

12. I only knew about SOHO

The Sun had no sunspots for 51 days in a row July 11 - Aug. 30, 2009 -- just nearly breaking the record of 52 days for the longest quiet period for this solar cycle. That record was set last summer. As we watch 50 days of that period with STEREO (Behind) in a wavelength of extreme UV light, we see some activity, such as prominences popping about here and there, but no active regions strong enough to form a sunspot. Late on Aug. 31, a little sunspot emerged (not shown in the clip that ends on Aug. 28th) to interrupt the long string of quiet days. Even so, this little sunspot measured about nearly 3000 km (1800 miles) across. Nevertheless, it is likely that the current year's number of blank days will be the longest in about 100 years. It is not shown many signs of picking up the pace so far.

http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/pickoftheweek/

[Fumesucker]

17. GONG is so cool and amazing..

Asteroseismology is in its infancy.. Promises to be a very powerful tool.

[krispos42]

11. It means that it works

[billyclem]

13. Two words maybe

Maunder Minimum

Now, where did I pack away my expedition weight thermal underwear?

:silly:

[gk88850]

15. The same way it's been acting for billions of years

[Thor_MN]

18. The recent conservative admin has convinced the sun it's immoral to show its spots

except at night, with the lights off and only for the purposes of creating new heavenly bodies.

[kestrel91316]

20. The sun is obviously constipated and needs an enema and depooping.

I can help with that.