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The Sun Has First Spotless Month Since 1913

Posted by timothy on from the doctor-which-spf-should-I-choose-now? dept.

radioweather writes "August 2008 has made solar history. As of 00 UTC September 1st 2008 (5PM PST) we just witnessed the first spotless calendar month since June 1913.This was determined according to sunspot data from NOAA's National Geophysical Data Center, which goes back to 1749. In the 95 years since 1913, we've had quite an active sun, but activity has been declining in the last few years. The sun today is a nearly featureless sphere and has been spotless for 42 days total, but this is the first full calendar month since 1913 for a spotless sun. And there are other indicators of the sun being in a funk. Australia's space weather agency recently revised their solar cycle 24 forecast, pushing the expected date for a ramping up of cycle 24 sunspots into the future by six months." As one of the links above indicate, there was a "sunspeck" reported August 21/22, though. Reader MikeyTheK adds a link to a story at Daily Tech on the spotless record.

6 of 571 comments (clear)

  1. The real reason this is News for Nerds by dkleinsc · · Score: 5, Funny

    The sun has discovered the best acne medication in the universe.

    --
    I am officially gone from /. Long live http://www.soylentnews.com/
    1. Re:The real reason this is News for Nerds by eln · · Score: 5, Funny

      Not to mention that it should probably be titled "It's been a spotless month, from the part of the sun that we can actually see - I mean, who knows what's happening on the other side?"

      So what you're saying is the article should really say "The Sun, after centuries of being mercilessly mocked by Earthlings for its persistent spotting problems, has decided to turn around and show the Earth its backside from now on."

    2. Re:The real reason this is News for Nerds by ArsonSmith · · Score: 5, Funny

      I blame Geroge Bush for all this. Notice this report is out and FEMA hasn't responded yet.

      --
      Paying taxes to buy civilization is like paying a hooker to buy love.
    3. Re:The real reason this is News for Nerds by Lars+T. · · Score: 4, Funny

      In the rapture, the christians (from other humans' perspective) simply disappear. You non-christians are left to fend for yourselves. :-)

      So, the mankind fends for itself, just like it has for eons, but all the religious zealots will be gone. Is there anything I can do to speed up the Rapture?

      Paint "666" on your forehead, marry someone of your own gender, and vote for the Democratic Party.

      --

      Lars T.

      To the guy who modded me down from perfect to terrible Karma - Apple haters still suck

  2. Re:Standby and get ready! by Hawthorne01 · · Score: 5, Funny

    I know. How strange is it that they think that the largest source of heat in the entire solar system would have ANYTHING to do with one of the planets getting warmer...

    --
    "Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former."
  3. Every time *I* miss a month... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    ...my boyfriend panics.