Is it possible for scientists to predict any solar storms on the sun?
As scientists learn more about how the Sun behaves, we are getting better about being able to predict solar activity. For example, from observations of the number of sunspots over the years (centuries, actually), we know that the solar magnetic activity changes in a cycle that’s usually about 11 years long; we can use this knowledge to predict with some certainty when the Sun will be more likely to be “stormy” or active and when it will be more calm. Watching sunspots and magnetically active regions on the Sun, scientists see how they form, grow, evolve, and fade away, and are beginning to learn the patterns of activity that lead up to solar “storms.” We can observe flares and other eruptions on the Sun, see which way they are headed, and so predict whether or not this space weather will impact the Earth. Between a flare and when its effects would arrive at Earth there is usually about a 4 day space. Mr.
