As the Sun Turns: Solar Minimums and Maximums

[Maria]

An image dated 12/14/2016 showing departing sunspot 2617 and the most recently named sunspot 2618.
The sunspot on the far left side of the sun has not yet been given a number.
This image is static.

[Maria]

From: Solar Influences Data analysis Center - RWC Belgium

Another small sunspot group, observed this morning (20-Dec-2016) by UCCLE-USET,
Locarno and Kanzelhohe Observatories, by its high latitude (-23 degrees)
and reverse polarity belongs to the next solar cycle 25.

This means that we will see some more sunspots with a reverse polarity indicative of new Solar Cycle 25.
For a time, however, sunspots from both solar cycle 24 and solar cycle 25 will appear.

Currently, we are seeing the end of Solar Cycle 24 as the number of sunspots has declined rapidly.

Data on this new sunspot:

Nmbr Location Lo Area Z LL NN Mag Type
2620 S23W37 305 0010 Bxo 04 04 Beta

http://legacy-www.swpc.noaa.gov/ftpdir/ ... 221SRS.txt

New Sunspot (solar cycle 25) has been given the number 2620. It is seen in the lower hemisphere (right side) in the image posted below, which is probably a dynamic image, so my comments will be obsolete within a day or two.

[Maria]

So far, for the month of December 2016, we have had the lowest number of sunspots as the monthly mean is under 20.
Since the official monthly bulletin from SIDC (Belgium) will be published around January 6, 2017, we will not have the confirmed monthly mean sunspot numbers for December until that time.

The three lowest sunspot monthly means for the year 2016 are:
June 2016, monthly mean of 20.7
Nov. 2016, monthly mean of 21.4
Dec. 2016, monthly mean under 20
((Edited on January 5, 2017: officially reported by Belgium to be 18.9 for the month of Dec. 2016)
Click this link to see the official report: http://www.sidc.be/sunspots/bulletins/m ... 201612.pdf

The decline in sunspot numbers has been more rapid than in 2006.

Note that the plot below is subject to change due to the incoming daily reports for Dec. 31, 2016, and the final confirmation of raw data by scientists. The green spots below indicate the reporting stations of which there are at least 72 worldwide.

[Maria]

Here is a link to the daily sunspot plots - http://www.sidc.be/silso/home

Below, is the latest plot for comparison purposes:
Notice all the changes. Instead of seven spotless days, it shows only six.
And the plot has changed significantly. When I took science courses, we could not change the plots once charted.

Of course, these plots must be approved by a panel of scientists worldwide (about 72 reporting stations in all) who must concur, and someone must make the call.

[Maria]

Click the link below to see the latest image of the smoothed monthly sunspot plot..
This link is dynamic showing the most recent month.

http://www.sidc.be/images/wolfjmms.png

[Maria]

And here is the one from November 2016 (Dated December 1, 2016):

[Maria]

According to SILSO, we have entered into Solar Cycle 25 with the appearance of the first spotless day
(SN=0) on July 17, 2014.

For more information about solar minimums, spotless days, and their relationship with solar cycles, please visit:
http://www.sidc.be/silso/spotless

See the sunspot plot below that shows a recent stream of ten spotless days in January 2017.

Daily Sunspot Plot thru 01-14-2017.png (43.33 KiB) Viewed 1430 times

This stream has now been broken with two new sunspots, #2625 Beta and #2626 Alpha, that just appeared from around the other side of the sun.

Joint USAF/NOAA Solar Region Summary
SRS Number 14 Issued at 0030Z on 14 Jan 2017
Report compiled from data received at SWO on 13 Jan
I. Regions with Sunspots. Locations Valid at 13/2400Z
Nmbr Location Lo Area Z LL NN Mag Type
2625 N03E58 254 0050 Cso 04 03 Beta
2626 N08E67 245 0020 Hsx 00 01 Alpha

http://legacy-www.swpc.noaa.gov/ftpdir/ ... 114SRS.txt