I see on spaceweather.com that there is not one but two new sunspot groups with the magnetic polarity of the new sunspot cycle, and the SFI has edged up a little to 73. I hope that this is a sign of better things to come!
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As predicted in a research paper and highlighted in a CQ Newsroom article the solar cycle changes with with the planetary alignment that occurred on Dec 20. I put a link to the article in a previous post. I hope they are right and this is the start of Solar Cycle 25.
Jeff K6QCB
The trouble with that, Jeff, is that the planetary alignment theory was first proposed in the early 1950’s and the predictions from analysis of the alignments failed quite badly.
If this is the start of cycle 25 then it is right at least this time. All I know is that according to the article published by CQ the cycle changes lined nearly perfectly. I don’t know how the same data can be interpreted so differently. I guess I will have to look at the raw data.
Jeff K6QCB
As a follow-up, another new cycle sunspot is rotating into sight. One swallow may not make a summer but three might make it spring!
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Yesterday yet another new cycle sunspot appeared, and today there is another incipient sunspot, a group of pores. Meanwhile the SFI has edged up to 74, the highest it has been for a long time. It will take some time for activity to ramp up but I would say that the new cycle has definately arrived!
Personally, I would say that the new cycle has definitely arrived. 