14 DAY TRIAL // In a paper published in the November 18 issue of Science, solar physicists say that there is currently no foreseeable danger of the Sun going into a deep period of inactivity, once it reaches the current cycle's maximum. This idea has been widely speculated on lately .
Scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research (MPISSR), in Katlenburg-Lindau, Germany, say that it's just as likely the star will go into a solar maximum again, even if it just came out of one. There is no way of knowing for sure what will happen, the group explains.
“However, neither of these is likely to happen within the next 30 years or so. Most probable is that the sun will continue at a moderate level of activity,” lead study author Sami Solanki tells Space.
Determining solar activity patterns is important for predicting space weather, and also for understanding how solar flares and coronal mass ejections would affect our planet during solar maximums. This knowledge can help avoid material damages and loss of life.