Apr 16, 2011 07:53 GMT  ·  By
This August 1, 2010, SDO image shows a C3-class solar flare, a solar tsunami, multiple filaments of magnetism, large-scale shaking of the solar corona, radio bursts, and a coronal mass ejection
   This August 1, 2010, SDO image shows a C3-class solar flare, a solar tsunami, multiple filaments of magnetism, large-scale shaking of the solar corona, radio bursts, and a coronal mass ejection

Solar physicists say that the Sun is finally beginning to wake up at this point. After spending an extra 3 years than it was supposed to in a state of deep minimum, the star is only now beginning to exhibit important levels of activity.

According to the most recent observations, sunspots are now common occurrences on its surface, and even a few immense ones were observed since January 2011. The Sun is currently heading for a maximum in its 11-year cycle, which it's scheduled to reach around 2012-2013.

The star operates in cycles that contain periods of increased activity, called maximums, and periods during which the number of sunspots is kept to a minimum. Between 2008 and 2011, the star remained in a historically-low minimum even if it was supposed to show increasing levels of activity.

At this point, it would appear that it is trying to catch up where it left off. At least, this is the image that the spacecraft monitoring it around the clock are showing. Sunspots are now common occurrence on the star, and dot its surface at regular intervals.

The February 14 solar blast that emanated from the star is a clear indicator that activity is returning to normal. This was the most powerful such event in more than 4 years, astronomers explain.

“Finally, we are beginning to see some action. It's been three long years,” explains in a statement the head of the NASA Headquarters Heliophysics Division, Richard Fisher, as quoted by Space.

An additional X-class solar flare was recorded on March 9. It came two days after another large solar event that occurred on March 7. This short succession of solar explosions allowed experts to stop holding their breath about whether the Sun will recover from its historic minimum.

“That was the fastest coronal mass ejection in almost six years. It reminds me of a similar series of events back in Nov. 1997 that kicked off Solar Cycle 23, the solar cycle before this one,” explains scientist Angelos Vourlidas.

“To me, this marks the beginning of Solar Cycle 24,” adds the expert, who is based at the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), in Washington, DC. He explains that we can expect to see even more powerful solar eruptions, flares and sunspots appearing on the Sun in the coming months.

Currently, we are entering Solar Cycle 24, which means that this is the 24th such cycle that was observed since astronomers first realized that our star alternates from periods of activity to periods of inactivity. Solar Cycle 1 peaked around 1775.

Since then, the number of sunspots developing during each cycle has been closely monitored by astronomers. At this point, there are several observatories in space whose sole job is to keep track of solar activity, and warn us when a solar flare is heading our way.