Astronomers explain why Sun shows no solar spots for first time since 2021

Scientists have observed a rare phenomenon in our solar system with no sunspots currently visible on the side of the Sun facing Earth.

This finding has been observed by the Solar Astronomy Department at the Russian Academy of Sciences, according to the institution’s statement via Telegram.

In a statement from the Institute of Space Research, the Sun “appears as a perfect disk without any features.”

Researchers noted that the last time the Sun showed no sunspots was December 11, 2021. Such a complete absence of spots typically occurs only during periods of very low solar activity, usually at the solar minimum. For the first time since 2024, the solar flare activity index has also dropped to zero.

Sunspots are caused by the Sun’s magnetic field, forming in regions with high magnetic flux. These areas provide the energy for solar flares, meaning that the number and size of sunspots directly reflect overall solar activity.

Historical records show extended periods, sometimes lasting decades, with very few sunspots. The most famous of these is the Maunder Minimum, from 1645 to 1715, which coincided with the coldest phase of the Little Ice Age, a time of unusually harsh winters in Europe and North America.

The Russian researchers emphasise that the current lull in activity, occurring just 1.5 years after the cycle’s maximum, is unlikely to last long and should eventually end. Still, the rapid drop to near-zero solar activity — particularly following an especially turbulent start to the year — has surprised scientists.

By Nazrin Sadigova