Sun reportedly entering ‘Solar Minimum’: What does it mean?

News:The sun is said to have reached into a state of ‘solar minimum’ as it has been more than 100 days since the sunspots are virtually not visible at all.

Facts:

• Solar Minimum: It is the period of least solar activity in the 11-year solar cycle of the Sun.During this time, sunspot and solar flare activity diminishes and often does not occur for days at a time.
• Concerns: It may cause health risks to astronauts travelling through space as the sun’s magnetic field weakens and provides less shielding from these cosmic rays.

Additional Facts:

• Solar Cycle:It is the cycle that the Sun’s magnetic field goes through approximately every 11 years.
• Sunspots:
  • These are areas that appear dark on the surface of the Sun.They appear dark because they are cooler than other parts of the Sun’s surface. 
  • The temperature of a sunspot is still very hot though at around 6,500 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Why are sunspots relatively cool: It’s because they form at areas where magnetic fields are particularly strong.These magnetic fields are so strong that they keep some of the heat within the Sun from reaching the surface.
• Solar Flares: It is an intense burst of radiation coming from the release of magnetic energy associated with sunspots.