[smokingfrog]

   The sun normally follows a cycle of activity lasting about 11 years. The current cycle, Cycle 24, is now heading towards its peak.

New sunspot 1455 is crackling with low-level B-class solar flares.

[spokeshave]

Not good......

[Prospero]

Looking at neutron monitor counts it appears were still on the downward side of a trough, but that's very low res. The inverse relationship between cosmic ray infall and solar magnetic field strength would seem to show the cycle hasn't yet peaked.

Meanwhile, a six month look at raw sunspot numbers shows a slightly higher resolution peak around October.

Given how late the cycle began, were still experiencing a weak peak, wherever we are in the cycle and despite the occasional fireworks.