Pixabay photo
Miriam Kramer
Axios Space
The Sun’s activity is defying forecasts and highlighting how difficult it is to predict the machinations of Earth’s nearest star.
Why it matters: Space weather, which is largely driven by the Sun, can shorten the lifespans of satellites, cause radio blackouts and, in extreme solar storms, bring down power grids.
Predicting and understanding the inner workings of the Sun is key to figuring out how it might behave in the short and long term.
Driving the news: Predictions from 2020 suggested the Sun would reach the peak of its 11-year solar cycle in 2025, and its intensity would be on par with the last cycle.
But current observations show its activity could now peak as early as 2024.
The current cycle is also on track to be more extreme, with more solar flares, sunspots and activity than the previous one, though not as big as others on record.
How it works: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) is responsible for predicting and forecasting space weather on any given day.
