Approaching solar minimum

The sun is quieter than normal, but don't panic

"In February, for the first time since August 2008, the sun went an entire month without any sunspots."

"To be a cycle 25 spot, it's apt to appear at about 30 degrees latitude, Hathaway said. "This was at nine [degrees]. So this was definitely old-cycle."

"However, both Hathaway and Pesnell believe that solar cycle 25 should begin some time in 2020."