Did you know our sun operates on a natural 11 year cycle, alternating between high and low magnetic activity?
In October 2024, U.S space agencies such as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced the sun had reached its solar maximum phase and would continue into 2025.
However, has the maximum phase already peaked or will it do so later in the year?
To find out the answer as well as learning from past solar storm activity, 4ZZZ’s Toni Pankaluic spoke with Dr Benjamin Pope, an Associate Professor of Statistical Data Science at Macquarie University to find out more.
For a deep dive...
If you could buy/access a solar telescope equipped with filters during the Solar Maximum 2025, you'll enjoy the sun's beautiful surface features and sunspots. Otherwise during the minimum phase years from now, the sun becomes featureless. Do note, avoid what Galileo once did by using a normal telescope to see the sun... as your eyes will burn!
Image Credit: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

Your 11AM Zedlines with HG, Sarah, and Eden

Your 9AM Zedlines with HG, Alec, Eden, Sarah, and Vivek

Your 8AM Zedlines with Alec, Vivek, and Sarah

Your 11AM Zedlines with Cass, Hailey and Georgie.

Your 10AM Zedlines with Georgie and Hailey.

Your 9AM Zedlines with Cass and Hailey.
Image credit: Cory Doctorow

Your 8AM Zedlines with Cass and Georgie.
Image Credit: Mavio Silva

Your 8AM Zedlines with Livinia, Clem and Mack

Your 11am Zedlines with Ellen, Niamh and Alannah

Your 10am Zedlines with Ellen, Alannah and Niamh

Your 9am Zedlines with Alannah and Niamh
Your 8am Zedlines with Ellen and Alannah

Your 11AM Zedlines with Asha and Yuchen (Image via Wikimedia Commons)

Your 10AM Zedlines with Ava and Ethan (Image via Wikimedia Commons)

Your 9AM Zedlines with Asha and Yuchen (Image via Public Domain Pictures)

Your 8AM Zedlines with Ava and Ethan (Image via Flickr)

Your 10am Zedlines with Vivek, Stella and Eden.

Your 8am zedlines with Em, Stella and Eden

Your 11am Zedlines with Cass and Georgie

Your 10AM Zedlines with Hailey and Lachlan

Your 9am Zedlines with Georgie and Cass.

Your 8AM Zedlines with Lachlan and Hailey.

Your 10AM Zedlines with Mack
IMG: Supplied from infinityplanet.com

Your 9AM Zedlines with Mack
IMG: From Wikimedia under CC4.0

Your 8AM Zedlines with Mack
IMG: From Wikimedia under CC4.0

Your 11am Zedlines with Alannah and Ellen

Your 10am Zedlines with Miko, Alannah and Ellen

Your 9am Zedlines with Ellen, Miko and Alannah