Understanding the Sun’s behavior is an important part of life in our solar system. The Sun’s outbursts—including eruptions known as solar flares and coronal mass ejections—can disturb the satellites and communications signals traveling around Earth, or one day, Artemis astronauts exploring distant worlds. Scientists study the solar cycle so we can better predict solar activity. As of 2020, the Sun has begun to shake off the sleep of minimum, which occurred in December 2019, and Solar Cycle 25 is underway. Scientists use several indicators to track solar cycle progress.",
"items": [],
"extra_data": {}
},
{
"id": 319059,
"url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/13715/#media_group_319059",
"widget": "Video player",
"title": "",
"caption": "",
"description": "
Watch this video on the NASA Goddard YouTube channel.
Complete transcript available.
Music credits: “Infinite” by Joseph Pincus [ASCAP]; “Reflective Sensations”, “Ideas For Tomorrow”, “Think Tank” by Laurent Dury [SACEM]; “Wonderful Orbit” by Tom Furse Fairfax Cowan [PRS]", "items": [ { "id": 225684, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 382631, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a013700/a013715/13715_TrackSolarCycle_YouTube.00284_print.jpg", "filename": "13715_TrackSolarCycle_YouTube.00284_print.jpg", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Watch this video on the NASA Goddard YouTube channel.Complete transcript available.Music credits: “Infinite” by Joseph Pincus [ASCAP]; “Reflective Sensations”, “Ideas For Tomorrow”, “Think Tank” by Laurent Dury [SACEM]; “Wonderful Orbit” by Tom Furse Fairfax Cowan [PRS]", "width": 1024, "height": 576, "pixels": 589824 } }, { "id": 225685, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 382632, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a013700/a013715/13715_TrackSolarCycle_YouTube.00284_searchweb.png", "filename": "13715_TrackSolarCycle_YouTube.00284_searchweb.png", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Watch this video on the NASA Goddard YouTube channel.Complete transcript available.Music credits: “Infinite” by Joseph Pincus [ASCAP]; “Reflective Sensations”, “Ideas For Tomorrow”, “Think Tank” by Laurent Dury [SACEM]; “Wonderful Orbit” by Tom Furse Fairfax Cowan [PRS]", "width": 320, "height": 180, "pixels": 57600 } }, { "id": 225686, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 382633, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a013700/a013715/13715_TrackSolarCycle_YouTube.00284_web.png", "filename": "13715_TrackSolarCycle_YouTube.00284_web.png", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Watch this video on the NASA Goddard YouTube channel.Complete transcript available.Music credits: “Infinite” by Joseph Pincus [ASCAP]; “Reflective Sensations”, “Ideas For Tomorrow”, “Think Tank” by Laurent Dury [SACEM]; “Wonderful Orbit” by Tom Furse Fairfax Cowan [PRS]", "width": 320, "height": 180, "pixels": 57600 } }, { "id": 225687, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 382634, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a013700/a013715/13715_TrackSolarCycle_YouTube.00284_thm.png", "filename": "13715_TrackSolarCycle_YouTube.00284_thm.png", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Watch this video on the NASA Goddard YouTube channel.Complete transcript available.Music credits: “Infinite” by Joseph Pincus [ASCAP]; “Reflective Sensations”, “Ideas For Tomorrow”, “Think Tank” by Laurent Dury [SACEM]; “Wonderful Orbit” by Tom Furse Fairfax Cowan [PRS]", "width": 80, "height": 40, "pixels": 3200 } }, { "id": 225680, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 382628, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a013700/a013715/13715_TrackSolarCycle_Prores.mov", "filename": "13715_TrackSolarCycle_Prores.mov", "media_type": "Movie", "alt_text": "Watch this video on the NASA Goddard YouTube channel.Complete transcript available.Music credits: “Infinite” by Joseph Pincus [ASCAP]; “Reflective Sensations”, “Ideas For Tomorrow”, “Think Tank” by Laurent Dury [SACEM]; “Wonderful Orbit” by Tom Furse Fairfax Cowan [PRS]", "width": 1920, "height": 1080, "pixels": 2073600 } }, { "id": 225681, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 382630, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a013700/a013715/13715_TrackSolarCycle_YouTube.mp4", "filename": "13715_TrackSolarCycle_YouTube.mp4", "media_type": "Movie", "alt_text": "Watch this video on the NASA Goddard YouTube channel.Complete transcript available.Music credits: “Infinite” by Joseph Pincus [ASCAP]; “Reflective Sensations”, “Ideas For Tomorrow”, “Think Tank” by Laurent Dury [SACEM]; “Wonderful Orbit” by Tom Furse Fairfax Cowan [PRS]", "width": 1920, "height": 1080, "pixels": 2073600 } }, { "id": 225682, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 382627, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a013700/a013715/13715_TrackSolarCycle_Facebook.mp4", "filename": "13715_TrackSolarCycle_Facebook.mp4", "media_type": "Movie", "alt_text": "Watch this video on the NASA Goddard YouTube channel.Complete transcript available.Music credits: “Infinite” by Joseph Pincus [ASCAP]; “Reflective Sensations”, “Ideas For Tomorrow”, “Think Tank” by Laurent Dury [SACEM]; “Wonderful Orbit” by Tom Furse Fairfax Cowan [PRS]", "width": 1920, "height": 1080, "pixels": 2073600 } }, { "id": 225683, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 382629, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a013700/a013715/13715_TrackSolarCycle_Twitter.mp4", "filename": "13715_TrackSolarCycle_Twitter.mp4", "media_type": "Movie", "alt_text": "Watch this video on the NASA Goddard YouTube channel.Complete transcript available.Music credits: “Infinite” by Joseph Pincus [ASCAP]; “Reflective Sensations”, “Ideas For Tomorrow”, “Think Tank” by Laurent Dury [SACEM]; “Wonderful Orbit” by Tom Furse Fairfax Cowan [PRS]", "width": 1920, "height": 1080, "pixels": 2073600 } }, { "id": 225688, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 382635, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a013700/a013715/13715_TrackSolarCycle_YouTube.webm", "filename": "13715_TrackSolarCycle_YouTube.webm", "media_type": "Movie", "alt_text": "Watch this video on the NASA Goddard YouTube channel.Complete transcript available.Music credits: “Infinite” by Joseph Pincus [ASCAP]; “Reflective Sensations”, “Ideas For Tomorrow”, “Think Tank” by Laurent Dury [SACEM]; “Wonderful Orbit” by Tom Furse Fairfax Cowan [PRS]", "width": 1920, "height": 1080, "pixels": 2073600 } }, { "id": 225689, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 849294, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a013700/a013715/TrackTheSolarCycle.en_US.srt", "filename": "TrackTheSolarCycle.en_US.srt", "media_type": "Captions", "alt_text": "Watch this video on the NASA Goddard YouTube channel.Complete transcript available.Music credits: “Infinite” by Joseph Pincus [ASCAP]; “Reflective Sensations”, “Ideas For Tomorrow”, “Think Tank” by Laurent Dury [SACEM]; “Wonderful Orbit” by Tom Furse Fairfax Cowan [PRS]", "label": "English", "language_code": "" } }, { "id": 225690, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 849295, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a013700/a013715/TrackTheSolarCycle.en_US.vtt", "filename": "TrackTheSolarCycle.en_US.vtt", "media_type": "Captions", "alt_text": "Watch this video on the NASA Goddard YouTube channel.Complete transcript available.Music credits: “Infinite” by Joseph Pincus [ASCAP]; “Reflective Sensations”, “Ideas For Tomorrow”, “Think Tank” by Laurent Dury [SACEM]; “Wonderful Orbit” by Tom Furse Fairfax Cowan [PRS]", "label": "English", "language_code": "" } } ], "extra_data": {} }, { "id": 319060, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/13715/#media_group_319060", "widget": "Video player", "title": "", "caption": "", "description": "Sunspot number over the past five solar cycles. Scientists use sunspots to track solar cycle progress; the dark spots are associated with solar activity, often as the origins for giant explosions — such as solar flares or coronal mass ejections — which can spew light, energy, and solar material out into space.
The panel consulted monthly updates in sunspot number data from the World Data Center for the Sunspot Index and Long-term Solar Observations, at the Royal Observatory of Belgium in Brussels, which tracks sunspots and pinpoints the highs and lows of the solar cycle.
Credit: SILSO data/image, Royal Observatory of Belgium, Brussels
", "items": [ { "id": 225693, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 382638, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a013700/a013715/SSN_Graph.00001_print.jpg", "filename": "SSN_Graph.00001_print.jpg", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Sunspot number over the past five solar cycles. Scientists use sunspots to track solar cycle progress; the dark spots are associated with solar activity, often as the origins for giant explosions — such as solar flares or coronal mass ejections — which can spew light, energy, and solar material out into space.The panel consulted monthly updates in sunspot number data from the World Data Center for the Sunspot Index and Long-term Solar Observations, at the Royal Observatory of Belgium in Brussels, which tracks sunspots and pinpoints the highs and lows of the solar cycle.Credit: SILSO data/image, Royal Observatory of Belgium, Brussels", "width": 1024, "height": 576, "pixels": 589824 } }, { "id": 225694, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 382639, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a013700/a013715/SSN_Graph.00001_searchweb.png", "filename": "SSN_Graph.00001_searchweb.png", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Sunspot number over the past five solar cycles. Scientists use sunspots to track solar cycle progress; the dark spots are associated with solar activity, often as the origins for giant explosions — such as solar flares or coronal mass ejections — which can spew light, energy, and solar material out into space.The panel consulted monthly updates in sunspot number data from the World Data Center for the Sunspot Index and Long-term Solar Observations, at the Royal Observatory of Belgium in Brussels, which tracks sunspots and pinpoints the highs and lows of the solar cycle.Credit: SILSO data/image, Royal Observatory of Belgium, Brussels", "width": 320, "height": 180, "pixels": 57600 } }, { "id": 225695, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 382640, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a013700/a013715/SSN_Graph.00001_web.png", "filename": "SSN_Graph.00001_web.png", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Sunspot number over the past five solar cycles. Scientists use sunspots to track solar cycle progress; the dark spots are associated with solar activity, often as the origins for giant explosions — such as solar flares or coronal mass ejections — which can spew light, energy, and solar material out into space.The panel consulted monthly updates in sunspot number data from the World Data Center for the Sunspot Index and Long-term Solar Observations, at the Royal Observatory of Belgium in Brussels, which tracks sunspots and pinpoints the highs and lows of the solar cycle.Credit: SILSO data/image, Royal Observatory of Belgium, Brussels", "width": 320, "height": 180, "pixels": 57600 } }, { "id": 225696, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 382641, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a013700/a013715/SSN_Graph.00001_thm.png", "filename": "SSN_Graph.00001_thm.png", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Sunspot number over the past five solar cycles. Scientists use sunspots to track solar cycle progress; the dark spots are associated with solar activity, often as the origins for giant explosions — such as solar flares or coronal mass ejections — which can spew light, energy, and solar material out into space.The panel consulted monthly updates in sunspot number data from the World Data Center for the Sunspot Index and Long-term Solar Observations, at the Royal Observatory of Belgium in Brussels, which tracks sunspots and pinpoints the highs and lows of the solar cycle.Credit: SILSO data/image, Royal Observatory of Belgium, Brussels", "width": 80, "height": 40, "pixels": 3200 } }, { "id": 225691, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 382637, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a013700/a013715/SSN_Graph_Prores.mov", "filename": "SSN_Graph_Prores.mov", "media_type": "Movie", "alt_text": "Sunspot number over the past five solar cycles. Scientists use sunspots to track solar cycle progress; the dark spots are associated with solar activity, often as the origins for giant explosions — such as solar flares or coronal mass ejections — which can spew light, energy, and solar material out into space.The panel consulted monthly updates in sunspot number data from the World Data Center for the Sunspot Index and Long-term Solar Observations, at the Royal Observatory of Belgium in Brussels, which tracks sunspots and pinpoints the highs and lows of the solar cycle.Credit: SILSO data/image, Royal Observatory of Belgium, Brussels", "width": 1920, "height": 1080, "pixels": 2073600 } }, { "id": 225692, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 382636, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a013700/a013715/SSN_Graph.mp4", "filename": "SSN_Graph.mp4", "media_type": "Movie", "alt_text": "Sunspot number over the past five solar cycles. Scientists use sunspots to track solar cycle progress; the dark spots are associated with solar activity, often as the origins for giant explosions — such as solar flares or coronal mass ejections — which can spew light, energy, and solar material out into space.The panel consulted monthly updates in sunspot number data from the World Data Center for the Sunspot Index and Long-term Solar Observations, at the Royal Observatory of Belgium in Brussels, which tracks sunspots and pinpoints the highs and lows of the solar cycle.Credit: SILSO data/image, Royal Observatory of Belgium, Brussels", "width": 1920, "height": 1080, "pixels": 2073600 } }, { "id": 225697, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 382642, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a013700/a013715/SSN_Graph.webm", "filename": "SSN_Graph.webm", "media_type": "Movie", "alt_text": "Sunspot number over the past five solar cycles. Scientists use sunspots to track solar cycle progress; the dark spots are associated with solar activity, often as the origins for giant explosions — such as solar flares or coronal mass ejections — which can spew light, energy, and solar material out into space.The panel consulted monthly updates in sunspot number data from the World Data Center for the Sunspot Index and Long-term Solar Observations, at the Royal Observatory of Belgium in Brussels, which tracks sunspots and pinpoints the highs and lows of the solar cycle.Credit: SILSO data/image, Royal Observatory of Belgium, Brussels", "width": 1920, "height": 1080, "pixels": 2073600 } } ], "extra_data": {} }, { "id": 319061, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/13715/#media_group_319061", "widget": "Video player", "title": "", "caption": "", "description": "A collection of sunspot drawings during the last solar maximum in 2014 from The Uccle Solar Equatorial Table, Royal Observatory of Belgium.
Credit: USET data/image, Royal Observatory of Belgium, Brussels
", "items": [ { "id": 225700, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 382645, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a013700/a013715/USET_Drawings.00001_print.jpg", "filename": "USET_Drawings.00001_print.jpg", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "A collection of sunspot drawings during the last solar maximum in 2014 from The Uccle Solar Equatorial Table, Royal Observatory of Belgium.Credit: USET data/image, Royal Observatory of Belgium, Brussels", "width": 1024, "height": 576, "pixels": 589824 } }, { "id": 225701, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 382646, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a013700/a013715/USET_Drawings.00001_searchweb.png", "filename": "USET_Drawings.00001_searchweb.png", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "A collection of sunspot drawings during the last solar maximum in 2014 from The Uccle Solar Equatorial Table, Royal Observatory of Belgium.Credit: USET data/image, Royal Observatory of Belgium, Brussels", "width": 320, "height": 180, "pixels": 57600 } }, { "id": 225702, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 382647, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a013700/a013715/USET_Drawings.00001_web.png", "filename": "USET_Drawings.00001_web.png", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "A collection of sunspot drawings during the last solar maximum in 2014 from The Uccle Solar Equatorial Table, Royal Observatory of Belgium.Credit: USET data/image, Royal Observatory of Belgium, Brussels", "width": 320, "height": 180, "pixels": 57600 } }, { "id": 225703, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 382648, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a013700/a013715/USET_Drawings.00001_thm.png", "filename": "USET_Drawings.00001_thm.png", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "A collection of sunspot drawings during the last solar maximum in 2014 from The Uccle Solar Equatorial Table, Royal Observatory of Belgium.Credit: USET data/image, Royal Observatory of Belgium, Brussels", "width": 80, "height": 40, "pixels": 3200 } }, { "id": 225698, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 382644, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a013700/a013715/USET_Drawings_Prores.mov", "filename": "USET_Drawings_Prores.mov", "media_type": "Movie", "alt_text": "A collection of sunspot drawings during the last solar maximum in 2014 from The Uccle Solar Equatorial Table, Royal Observatory of Belgium.Credit: USET data/image, Royal Observatory of Belgium, Brussels", "width": 1920, "height": 1080, "pixels": 2073600 } }, { "id": 225699, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 382643, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a013700/a013715/USET_Drawings.mp4", "filename": "USET_Drawings.mp4", "media_type": "Movie", "alt_text": "A collection of sunspot drawings during the last solar maximum in 2014 from The Uccle Solar Equatorial Table, Royal Observatory of Belgium.Credit: USET data/image, Royal Observatory of Belgium, Brussels", "width": 1920, "height": 1080, "pixels": 2073600 } }, { "id": 225704, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 382649, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a013700/a013715/USET_Drawings.webm", "filename": "USET_Drawings.webm", "media_type": "Movie", "alt_text": "A collection of sunspot drawings during the last solar maximum in 2014 from The Uccle Solar Equatorial Table, Royal Observatory of Belgium.Credit: USET data/image, Royal Observatory of Belgium, Brussels", "width": 1920, "height": 1080, "pixels": 2073600 } } ], "extra_data": {} }, { "id": 319062, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/13715/#media_group_319062", "widget": "Basic text", "title": "For More Information", "caption": "", "description": "See [How Scientists Around the World Track the Solar Cycle](https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2020/how-scientists-around-world-track-solar-cycle-sunspots-sun)", "items": [], "extra_data": {} } ], "studio": "gms", "funding_sources": [ "PAO" ], "credits": [ { "role": "Scientist", "people": [ { "name": "Lisa Upton", "employer": "SSRC" }, { "name": "Doug Biesecker", "employer": "NOAA" }, { "name": "Natchimuthuk Gopalswamy", "employer": "NASA/GSFC" } ] }, { "role": "Producer", "people": [ { "name": "Joy Ng", "employer": "KBR Wyle Services, LLC" } ] }, { "role": "Animator", "people": [ { "name": "Krystofer Kim", "employer": "USRA" }, { "name": "Joy Ng", "employer": "KBR Wyle Services, LLC" } ] }, { "role": "Writer", "people": [ { "name": "Kathalina Tran", "employer": "SGT" } ] } ], "missions": [], "series": [ "Narrated Movies" ], "tapes": [], "papers": [], "datasets": [], "nasa_science_categories": [ "Sun" ], "keywords": [ "Climate Indicators", "Earth Science", "Royal Observatory Of Belgium", "Solar Activity", "Solar Cycle", "Solar Cycle 25", "Solar Magnetic Field", "Solar Maximum", "Solar Minimum", "Sun-earth Interactions", "Sunspot Activity", "Sunspot Cycle", "Sunspot Number", "Sunspots" ], "recommended_pages": [], "related": [ { "id": 14685, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/14685/", "page_type": "Produced Video", "title": "What is Solar Maximum?", "description": "The Sun is stirring from its latest slumber. As sunspots and flares bubble from the Sun’s surface, representatives from NASA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency (NOAA), and the Solar Cycle Prediction Panel announced on Tuesday, September 24, 2024, the Sun has reached its solar maximum period.The solar cycle is the natural cycle of the Sun as it transitions between low and high activity. During the most active part of the cycle, known as solar maximum, the Sun can unleash immense explosions of light, energy, and solar radiation — all of which create conditions known as space weather. Space weather can affect satellites and astronauts in space, as well as communications systems — such as radio and GPS — and power grids on Earth. || ", "release_date": "2024-10-15T15:00:00-04:00", "update_date": "2024-09-16T10:57:32.273655-04:00", "main_image": { "id": 1098457, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014600/a014685/thumbnail_design.png", "filename": "thumbnail_design.png", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "16:9 Landscape Version with HBY Logo and NASA MeatballMusic Credit: “Society News Bed Instrumental” by Jean-Francois Berger [SACEM] via Universal Production Music", "width": 1280, "height": 720, "pixels": 921600 } }, { "id": 14683, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/14683/", "page_type": "Produced Video", "title": "NASA, NOAA Announce That the Sun Has Reached the Solar Maximum Period", "description": "In a teleconference with reporters on Tuesday, October 15, 2024, representatives from NASA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency (NOAA), and the Solar Cycle Prediction Panel announced the Sun has reached its solar maximum period.The solar cycle is the natural cycle of the Sun as it transitions between low and high activity. Roughly every 11 years, at the height of the solar cycle, the Sun’s magnetic poles flip — on Earth, that’d be like the North and South Poles swapping places every decade — and the Sun transitions from sluggish to active and stormy.During the most active part of the cycle, known as solar maximum, the Sun can unleash immense explosions of light, energy, and solar radiation — all of which create conditions known as space weather. Space weather can affect satellites and astronauts in space, as well as communications systems — such as radio and GPS — and power grids on Earth. When the Sun is most active, space weather events become more frequent. Solar activity, such as the storm in May 2024, has led to increased aurora visibility and impacts on satellites and infrastructure in recent months.Listen to the media telecon.Read NASA's article about the news. || ", "release_date": "2024-10-15T13:30:00-04:00", "update_date": "2025-02-28T14:02:15.113776-05:00", "main_image": { "id": 1098353, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014600/a014683/001_Sun_Comparison.00001_print.jpg", "filename": "001_Sun_Comparison.00001_print.jpg", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "1. VideoImages from NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory highlight the appearance of the Sun at solar minimum (left, Dec. 2019) versus solar maximum (right, May 2024). These images are in the 171 wavelength of extreme ultraviolet light, which reveals the active regions on the Sun that are more common during solar maximum.Credit: NASA/SDO ", "width": 1024, "height": 576, "pixels": 589824 } }, { "id": 13716, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/13716/", "page_type": "Produced Video", "title": "The Solar Cycle As Seen From Space", "description": "VIDEO IN ENGLISH Watch this video on the NASA Goddard YouTube channel.The Sun is stirring from its latest slumber. As sunspots and flares, signs of a new solar cycle, bubble from the Sun’s surface, scientists are anticipating a flurry of solar activity over the next few years. Roughly every 11 years, at the height of this cycle, the Sun’s magnetic poles flip—on Earth, that’d be like the North and South Poles’ swapping places every decade—and the Sun transitions from sluggish to active and stormy. At its quietest, the Sun is at solar minimum; during solar maximum, the Sun blazes with bright flares and solar eruptions. In this video, view the Sun's disk from our space telescopes as it transitions from minimum to maximum in the solar cycle.Music credit: \"Observance\" by Andrew Michael Britton [PRS], David Stephen Goldsmith [PRS] from Universal Production Music || 13716_SolarCycleFromSpace_YouTube.01410_print.jpg (1024x576) [68.8 KB] || 13716_SolarCycleFromSpace_YouTube.01410_searchweb.png (320x180) [35.9 KB] || 13716_SolarCycleFromSpace_YouTube.01410_web.png (320x180) [35.9 KB] || 13716_SolarCycleFromSpace_YouTube.01410_thm.png (80x40) [3.8 KB] || 13716_SolarCycleFromSpace_Twitter.mp4 (1920x1080) [21.2 MB] || 13716_SolarCycleFromSpace_YouTube.webm (1920x1080) [11.0 MB] || SolarCycleAsSeenFromSpace.en_US.srt [630 bytes] || SolarCycleAsSeenFromSpace.en_US.vtt [641 bytes] || 13716_SolarCycleFromSpace_Facebook.mp4 (1920x1080) [115.2 MB] || 13716_SolarCycleFromSpace_Prores.mov (1920x1080) [1.3 GB] || 13716_SolarCycleFromSpace_YouTube.mp4 (1920x1080) [153.6 MB] || ", "release_date": "2020-09-17T13:00:00-04:00", "update_date": "2023-05-03T13:44:41.578700-04:00", "main_image": { "id": 382656, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a013700/a013716/13716_SolarCycleFromSpace_YouTube.01410_print.jpg", "filename": "13716_SolarCycleFromSpace_YouTube.01410_print.jpg", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "VIDEO IN ENGLISH Watch this video on the NASA Goddard YouTube channel.The Sun is stirring from its latest slumber. As sunspots and flares, signs of a new solar cycle, bubble from the Sun’s surface, scientists are anticipating a flurry of solar activity over the next few years. Roughly every 11 years, at the height of this cycle, the Sun’s magnetic poles flip—on Earth, that’d be like the North and South Poles’ swapping places every decade—and the Sun transitions from sluggish to active and stormy. At its quietest, the Sun is at solar minimum; during solar maximum, the Sun blazes with bright flares and solar eruptions. In this video, view the Sun's disk from our space telescopes as it transitions from minimum to maximum in the solar cycle.Music credit: \"Observance\" by Andrew Michael Britton [PRS], David Stephen Goldsmith [PRS] from Universal Production Music", "width": 1024, "height": 576, "pixels": 589824 } }, { "id": 13714, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/13714/", "page_type": "Produced Video", "title": "Solar Cycle 25 Is Here. NASA, NOAA Scientists Explain What This Means", "description": "Solar Cycle 25 has begun. The Solar Cycle 25 Prediction Panel announced solar minimum occurred in December 2019, marking the transition into a new solar cycle. In a press event, experts from the panel, NASA, and NOAA discussed the analysis and Solar Cycle 25 prediction, and how the rise to the next solar maximum and subsequent upswing in space weather will impact our lives and technology on Earth.A new solar cycle comes roughly every 11 years. Over the course of each cycle, the star transitions from relatively calm to active and stormy, and then quiet again; at its peak, the Sun’s magnetic poles flip. Now that the star has passed solar minimum, scientists expect the Sun will grow increasingly active in the months and years to come.Understanding the Sun’s behavior is an important part of life in our solar system. The Sun’s outbursts—including eruptions known as solar flares and coronal mass ejections—can disturb the satellites and communications signals traveling around Earth, or one day, Artemis astronauts exploring distant worlds. Scientists study the solar cycle so we can better predict solar activity.Click here for the NOAA press kit.Listen to the media telecon.Participants:• Lisa Upton, Co-chair, Solar Cycle 25 Prediction Panel; Solar Physicist, Space Systems Research Corporation• Doug Biesecker, Solar Physicist, NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center; Co-chair, Solar Cycle 25 Prediction Panel• Elsayed Talaat, Director, Office of Projects, Planning and Analysis; NOAA’s Satellite and Information Service • Lika Guhathakurta, Heliophysicist, Heliophysics Division, NASA Headquarters • Jake Bleacher, Chief Exploration Scientist, NASA Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate || ", "release_date": "2020-09-15T13:00:00-04:00", "update_date": "2023-05-03T13:44:42.266856-04:00", "main_image": { "id": 382531, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a013700/a013714/Solar_max_min.00001_print.jpg", "filename": "Solar_max_min.00001_print.jpg", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "2. VIDEOImages from NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory highlight the appearance of the Sun at solar minimum (left, Dec. 2019) versus solar maximum (right, April 2014). These images are in the 171 wavelength of extreme ultraviolet light, which reveals the active regions on the Sun that are more common during solar maximum. Credit: NASA", "width": 1024, "height": 576, "pixels": 589824 } }, { "id": 13706, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/13706/", "page_type": "Produced Video", "title": "NASA/NOAA Interview Opportunity: Space Weather live shots", "description": "Click here for NOAA's Solar Minimum Press Kit with downloadable imagery and b-roll.Cut b-roll for the live shots will be posted Tuesday, Sept 15 by 4:00 p.m. EST || SolarBanner5.jpg (382x2448) [463.6 KB] || SolarBanner5_print.jpg (1024x159) [164.0 KB] || SolarBanner5_searchweb.png (320x180) [93.2 KB] || SolarBanner5_thm.png (80x40) [18.1 KB] || ", "release_date": "2020-09-11T06:00:00-04:00", "update_date": "2023-05-03T13:44:42.806898-04:00", "main_image": { "id": 382994, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a013700/a013706/SolarBanner5_print.jpg", "filename": "SolarBanner5_print.jpg", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Click here for NOAA's Solar Minimum Press Kit with downloadable imagery and b-roll.Cut b-roll for the live shots will be posted Tuesday, Sept 15 by 4:00 p.m. EST", "width": 1024, "height": 159, "pixels": 162816 } } ], "sources": [], "products": [], "newer_versions": [], "older_versions": [], "alternate_versions": [] }