What is the solar cycle system

solar cycle, period of about 11 years in which fluctuations in the number and size of sunspots and solar prominences are repeated. Sunspot groups have a magnetic field with a north and a south pole, and, in each 11-year rise and fall, the same polarity leads in a given hemisphere while the opposite polarity leads in the other.

The solar cycle is driven by the sun's magnetic field, according to NASA Space Place. Every 11 years or so, the sun's magnetic field flips so north becomes south and south becomes north. Changes in the sun's magnetic field affect the amount of activity on the solar surface.

A new solar cycle comes roughly every 11 years. Over the course of this cycle, the Sun will transition from a period of low solar activity to stormy, high activity and then back to low activity again. The solar activity is largely determined by the number and size of sunspots on the surface of the Sun.

The Sun follows a roughly 11-year rhythm of waking up and becoming very active before calming down again, a stellar beat known as the solar cycle. This affects Earth because it shapes space weather, determining how much radiation, magnetic field and particles the Sun flings out into space and towards our planet. What is the solar cycle?

At mid-cycle, the Sun's sunspots peak and build to a very active, stormy “solar maximum.” This is when the north and south poles of the Sun flip! At the end of the cycle, the solar activity fades and we reach the “solar minimum” again. A new solar cycle begins.

Record-keeping of solar cycles began in 1755 with Solar Cycle 1. Some cycles have maximums with lots of sunspots and activity. Other cycles can have very few sunspots. Cycle 24 was a very quiet cycle which little solar activity. As the cycles can overlap, it can be challenging to predict when a new solar cycle begins.