NASA scientists say a new solar cycle is beginning, and this
could have important repercussions for space-based technology
ranging from GPS navigation to weather satellites. On January 4,
a reversed-polarity sunspot appeared, signaling the start of
Solar Cycle 24. A sunspot is an area of magnetic activity on the
surface of the sun that appears as a dark spot on its surface.
Solar activity waxes and wanes in 11-year cycles and the
previous solar cycle, Solar Cycle 23, peaked in 2000-2002 with
many furious solar storms. Lately, the sun has been experiencing
very few flares, sunspots, or activity of any kind -- a period
of quiet called solar minimum. Now, the sun’s seasons are
changing again. David Hathaway, solar physicist at NASA’s
Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., says, “New
solar cycles always begin with a high-latitude, reversed
polarity sunspot." "Reversed polarity" means a sunspot with
opposite magnetic polarity compared to sunspots from the
previous solar cycle. "High-latitude" refers to