syrinx

As of September 27, we are told, the old solar disk has been free of "spots" for about 3 out of every 4 days so far in 2008. While it hasn't been a hotbed of activity, that's not a bad thing:

"By monitoring the sun's vibrating surface, helioseismologists can probe the stellar interior in much the same way geologists use earthquakes to probe inside Earth. With sunspots out of the way, we gain a better view of the sun's subsurface winds and inner magnetic dynamo."

And then there's the fact that the sun is dimmer and the solar wind is slower...never a dull moment when the subject under study is the source of all life on Earth...the Sun.

tags: science solar flares sun spots