Exciting News ! Solar Cycle officially has arrived
Friday, January 04, 2008 (17:13:20)

Posted by N6AQ

This announcement is from SIDC in Belgium: ...MDI images (ed: of the sun) show a
bipolar structure. This bipole is however the first of the new solar
cycle which actually develops into a visible sunspot group. Solar cycle
24 has arrived!"

This is actually the second bipolar structure. The first appeared at the same latitude, also in the Sun's northern hemisphere. As of 1500z, 04 January 2008, no Cycle 24 sunspots have appeared. These high latitude bipolar structures are promising for development of sunspots.

Cycle 23 is not finished. It will continue as current images of the Sun show more cycle 23 activity developing.

Steve, NU7T