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Solar Cycle 24 May Have Finally Begun

Posted by kdawson on from the here-comes-the-oh-never-mind dept.

xyz writes "NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center reports that the number of sunspots in October for Solar Cycle 24 outnumbered Solar Cycle 23 for the first time, indicating the start of a new solar cycle. Solar activity was observed to be at a 50-year low, with no sunspots for 200 days this year."

17 of 72 comments (clear)

  1. Only cycle 24? by syousef · · Score: 3, Funny

    I observe solar cycles every day - the sun rises, then it sets. I'm pretty sure it's happened more than 24 times!!!

    (For those that need a clue bat, the above is a joke and I do know what a solar cycle is).

    --
    These posts express my own personal views, not those of my employer
    1. Re:Only cycle 24? by Ostracus · · Score: 4, Funny

      "(For those that need a clue bat, the above is a joke and I do know what a solar cycle is)."

      A solar-powered human on a bicycle.

      --
      Shai Schticks:"You don't make peace with friends, you make peace with enemies"
  2. Thats right. Solar Cycle 24. by gandhi_2 · · Score: 3, Funny

    Is your software SC24-compliant?

    --
    THL phish sticks
  3. re:new sun cycle by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Barack Obama is already fixing things!

  4. Re:Effect on climate... by Walkingshark · · Score: 4, Funny

    "Dim sun" is the new climate buzzword for 2009 to replace 'greenhouse effect.'

    I prefer Mongolian Beef myself.

    --
    The world you experience is only a close approximation of reality.
  5. It's the economic crisis by Gabest · · Score: 2, Funny

    And the worst is yet to come. So they say. Expect even less sun spots next year.

  6. It is a very important issue to communication by gearloos · · Score: 5, Informative

    The sun works on an 11 year cycle. There is also other smaller cycles that run in this. One is a 28 day cycle. These are very important to long range (and short range) communication. Ham(amateur) radio is very influenced(as well as commercial) by this. I am not going to try and explain the whole thing here but try this link for anone that would like to learn more about the sloar flux index, k index, a index etc.. http://www.radio-electronics.com/info/propagation/ionospheric/radio-propagation-prediction-solar-indices.php

    --
    "Computers are a lot like Air Conditioners" "They both work great until you start opening Windows"
    1. Re:It is a very important issue to communication by Bemopolis · · Score: 5, Funny

      The sun works on an 11 year cycle. There is also other smaller cycles that run in this. One is a 28 day cycle. These are very important to long range (and short range) communication.

      I can name another 28-day cycle that affects communication. It largely results in a short-range information transfer that everything is my fault.

      --
      "I guess the moral of the story is, don't paint your airship with rocket fuel." -- Addison Bain
    2. Re:It is a very important issue to communication by drik00 · · Score: 2, Funny

      Holy shnikes! Women *do* post on /. ... always thought that was an urban legend.

      J

      --
      Beer, now there's a temporary solution -- Homer Jay S.
  7. Re:How much did FOX have to pay for this? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    He'll be traveling west throughout the day so that he can keep an eye on the Sun at all times.

    The Sun doesn't set on Jack Bauer, Jack Bauer sets on the Sun.

  8. Re:new sun cycle by gearloos · · Score: 3, Funny

    actually, you idiot, the black spots ARE the sun spots. So... if anything he would be starting to bring in NEW black spots. Jesus, if your gonna be a racist, at least be an informed racist.

    --
    "Computers are a lot like Air Conditioners" "They both work great until you start opening Windows"
  9. Re:so how does it affect our weather by swordfishBob · · Score: 5, Informative

    It means significant bursts of solar radiation, but reductions in other extraterrestrial radiation as it gets "blown" away by the solar surges.

    --
    -- All your bass are below two Hz
  10. Phew! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    For a moment I was worried the sun is pregnant!

  11. Re:All over? Or just in spots? by cnettel · · Score: 3, Interesting

    The sun rotates, although with quit different speeds at the equator and the poles. For a period of 200 days, we will also get to see most of it (independently of the rotation). Unless one poses there is something very different about the side facing the Earth, no matter what "side" that is, the tendency should be quite clear. (I also think there are some space-based probes that are relevant here, but I am not sure whether any of them images the full "opposite side" of the sun regularly.)

  12. Re:All over? Or just in spots? by Software+Geek · · Score: 2, Informative

    The sun rotates every 25-36 days.
    The different rotation rates of different parts is what causes sunspots.
    http://www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/link=/sun/Solar_interior/Sun_layers/differential_rotation.html

    --
    http://xkcd.com/756//
  13. Re:Spots by rugatero · · Score: 2, Funny

    It's is "it is".

    Bravo to whoever modded this 'Redundant'.

    --
    This comment is for entertainment purposes only. Any similarity to real insight or information is purely coincidental.
  14. Clearing up the uncertainty by Mister_Stoopid · · Score: 2, Funny

    >Drinking water may cause cancer.
    >Looking at the sun may cause blindness.

    Well, my research indicates that nearly 100% of cancer victims were water drinkers, while only a statistically insignificant percentage of visually challenged individuals admit to staring into the sun. So there you have it, drinking water does cause cancer, and looking at the sun does not cause blindness.