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The Sun continues to fizzle

Yesterday NOAA posted its monthly update of the ongoing sunspot cycle of the Sun. You can see this latest graph, covering the month of July, below the fold.

As we have seen now for almost four years, the Sun continues to under-perform the predictions of solar scientists when it comes to the number of sunspots it is producing. In fact, that the sunspot number did not rise in July is surprising, as July had appeared to be a very active month for sunspots, with some of the strongest solar flares and coronal mass ejections seen in years. Instead, the number declined ever so slightly.

July sunspot graph

Though we are now only about a half year away from the predicted peak for this cycle’s solar maximum, the Sun has yet to show the slightest interest in producing sunspots at the rate predicted by scientists. Instead, it continues to limp along, producing sunspots at a rate lower than seen in more than a century.

Why this is occurring remains a mystery to scientists. They really do not understand the causes of the Sun’s magnetic solar cycle which creates sunspots. Nor do they understand how this cycle affects the Earth’s climate.

All we really know is that whenever the Sun stops producing sunspots, the Earth’s climate cools. And since 1998, there is evidence that that is exactly what has happened to the climate. Instead of rising as predicted by every global warming climate model, the global temperature has stalled.

If we are headed for a Grand Minimum, in which there are no sunspots for decades, we might also be heading for a period of global cooling. And if that happens, there are quite a few global warming scientists who are going to look very foolish.

Genesis cover

On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.

 

The print edition can be purchased at Amazon. from any other book seller, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.


The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
 

"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News

3 comments

  • jwing

    I think I will guggest that my kids consider Helio-science as a potential avenue of study.

  • shaun

    alright already the sun said he was cold so i heat him up and cool down earth at the same time
    -shaun

  • shaun

    sun science. sun says dont fuck with me or i kill you and burn you alive and keep you alive. and plastic comes from the sun lets smoke some.
    -shaun

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