Solar maximum or solar max is the period of greatest solar activity in the solar cycle of the sun. During solar maximum, sunspots appear.

Solar maximum is contrasted with solar minimum. Solar maximum is the period when the sun's magnetic field lines are the most distorted due to the magnetic field on the solar equator rotating at a slightly faster pace than at the solar poles. The sun takes about 11 years to go from one solar maximum to another and 22 years to complete a full cycle (where the magnetic charge on the poles is the same).

Historic maxima

The last solar maximum was in 2001, and the next one should be sometime in 2012. On March 10, 2006 NASA researchers announced that the next cycle would be the strongest since the historic maximum in 1958 in which the northern lights could be seen as far south as Rome, approximately 42° north of the equator. This projection was based on research done by Mausumi Dikpati of the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR).

Film

There is an IMAX documentary about solar maximum called Solarmax.

See also

• solar minimum
• List of solar cycles

External links

• http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0177240/ - IMDB entry on Solarmax IMAX documentary
• NASA: Solar Storm Warning