From today’s Space Weather News email
Space Weather News for Oct. 11, 2008
http://spaceweather.com
NEW SUNSPOT: A “new-cycle” sunspot belonging to Solar Cycle 24 is emerging near the sun’s northeastern limb. This is the third time in as many weeks that a new-cycle sunspot has interrupted the year’s remarkable run of blank suns. The accelerating pace of new-cycle sunspot production is an encouraging sign that, while solar activity remains very low, the sunspot cycle is unfolding more or less normally. We are not stuck in a permanent solar minimum. …
AURORA WATCH: Sky watchers from Alaska to Scandinavia should be alert for auroras tonight. …
Visit http://spaceweather.com for images and updates.
Related:
Sun’s Power Hits New Low, May Endanger Earth?
Anchorage, Alaska’s ‘Summer’ of 2008 Record: Only 2 Days Above 69 Degrees
Solar Chaos
Interesting use of the term “normally”. Looks like the scientists had to have the political scientist edit their post to put in some politically correct terms?
Hard to imagine a scientist using the term “encouraging sign”? Data is data to learn. What would be encouraging, unless you were Hathaway and worried that your prediction of the low in May 2006 really missed.
geophys55
April 10, 2009
I think we can all agree now that the new cylce is not “unfoldng normally” and that a grand minimum is a distinct possibillity. What a difference a few month of single digit (now fractional in March) SSN’s makes. Not to mention <5 A’s and under 70 flat-lining 10 cm fluxes. Look me in the eye with a straight face and call that normal! 😉