One of our sunspots is missing er found

If you read/watch/listen daily news stories you've already read yesterday (or will sometime today) that the SUN had no SUNSPOTS last month for the first time since 1913 (IN A CENTURY).

It sounds like the perfect setup for a science fiction disaster movie. Will Smith eating breakfast with the television droning in the background, "Today marks the 41st day of the newly featureless sun. Scientists express growing concern..."

Our Sun exhibits sunspot activity in a sort of repeating pattern, or cycle, with a periodicity of approximately eleven years, give or take a few years. It's absolutely true that currently, the Sun is remarkably calm while on the cusp of beginning its next eleven year cycle ("Cycle 24"), as well as reached a record low in overall activity of those cycles dating back to when they were first discovered in the nineteenth century.

There's a bit of a organizational scientific turf war about who decides and counts sunspots and thus in general characterize our solar weather. After a week of hemming and hawing the National Geophysical Data Center (United States NOAA) and the Solar Influences Data Analysis Center (SIDC Europe) have promoted a solar plaque observed on August 21/22 to a officially recognized sunspot.

So August wasn't sunspot-less after all. How many retractions will you see after the news media panicked? Um, none? It's too late for the print media who have already gone to print, but it's a opportunity for television and online media (who habitually scream the loudest) to set the record straight. There's less wrong with Cycle 24 than there is with the 24 hours news cycle. Some scientists and journalists alike have been impatiently waiting all week to proclaim August a solar statistical anomaly as harbinger of ominous space weather.

Further reading to allay stark terror or satisfy curiosity:

Excellent introduction to the (current) solar cycle and sunspot activity:
Wikipedia: Solar cycle

Former meteorologist and solar enthusiast Anthony Watts is staying on top of the sunspot furor in a highly readable, level headed informative way:
Watts Up With What?

An alarmist NOAA article from the beginning of the year warning that Cycle 24 would bring elevated, possibly unprecedented, solar storm activity. True, there's ten years left to go, but this year to date has been a total wash storm wise. Oops.
NOAA: Sunspot is Harbinger of New Solar Cycle, Increasing Risk for Electrical Systems

Monitor solar activity and space weather in real time or whenever you feel like it. Where's the blog widgets!
SOLARCYCLE24.COM

One of the NASA's principal solar investigators David Hathaway is the Carl Sagan of our Sun, of sorts, an engaging and always interesting scientist that makes an effort to keep the public informed. Will Smith will play him in the movie. For example, from July 11th, a preemptive, but unheeded, effort to head off the imminent sun hysteria.

Science@NASA: What's Wrong with the Sun? (Nothing)
NASA: Marshall Space Flight Center: Solar Physics Group

Many, many science sites and blogs are going audio. All of the Science@NASA stories are available as streaming or downloadable audio casts for the sight impaired and MP3 mobilists. Subscribable podcasts coming soon. Some are really great listens, as good as anything you'll see on the Discovery channel.

Ok, I'm done with Sun for this cycle. Uh, unless the solar doldrums continue... dum dum da dum

Next up: On topic, for a change. Beginning with a place that never was and an extraordinary cookie, as we start to delve deeply into just one aspect of the Battlestar Galactica mythos during the hiatus months. So get the caffeine and a comfy chair ready. I did mention something about analysis in the masthead didn't I? The hiatus is wasting away!

End of line,
ThP