For the first time since December 2021, the sun appears completely free of sunspots, surprising astronomers. The Solar Astronomy Laboratory of the Space Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences reported that the side of the Sun facing our planet is a perfect disk without any sunspots.
The flare activity index simultaneously reached zero, which had not happened since 2024.
What sunspots tell us about solar activity
Sunspots create dark areas on the sun that use magnetic fields as their main point of power. The star produces outbursts because it relies on magnetic fields to generate its energy, creating a direct link to its outburst activities.
The Sun exhibits active behavior through spot formation, which ends when spots disappear during minimum solar times of low activity. The Sun is currently experiencing a spotless period, which marks an unusual time as the Sun just reached its maximum cycle point 18 months ago.
The sun experienced two major record-breaking events in January and early February 2026, when it generated the strongest radiation storm and produced multiple powerful solar flares from one active zone.
Scientists from the Space Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences predict that the sun’s activities will increase after the current period of calm ends. The historical record shows that there have been longer periods of low activity throughout history.
The Maunder Minimum (1645-1715) ranks as the most recognized historical period because it corresponded to the cold peak temperatures of the Little Ice Age, which affected Europe and North America.
