Summary
- The Sun is at the peak of its activity cycle in 2025, caused by a flip in the star’s magnetic poles.
- Coronal mass ejections can disrupt technology and power grids but create stunning auroras on Earth.
- To increase your chances of seeing an aurora, head or look towards a pole, seek dark skies, and take long-exposure photos.
2024 was a year of many spectacular aurora displays, and this is set to continue into 2025, thanks to a peak in the Sun’s solar activity.
What Is a Solar Activity Peak?
The Sun reaches a peak of activity—also known as a solar maximum—every 11 years or so. This peak results in more sunspots appearing on our star’s surface than during any other period, as well as an increase in the number and intensity of coronal mass ejections (CMEs)—large jets of energetic and magnetized plasma erupting from the outermost layer of the Sun’s atmosphere.
This year marks the 25th cycle since sunspot activity record-taking began in 1755, which is why the current peak is referred to as solar cycle 25.
How Will the Solar Maximum Affect Us on Earth?
Since the influence of the Sun’s magnetic field—an effect known as solar wind—extends far beyond Pluto, when our star’s poles flip, it affects the entire solar system. Considering how relatively close we are to our star in this context, it’s no surprise that solar maximums affect us here on Earth.
As CMEs interact with Earth’s magnetic field, electronically charged particles are funneled towards our planet’s poles, where they collide with oxygen and nitrogen in the atmosphere to create shimmering displays called Aurora Borealis (the Northern Lights) and Aurora Australis (the Southern Lights). This picture taken by astronauts on the International Space Station reveals how auroras look from above our atmosphere.
Whether you’re hoping to see the Northern Lights or protect your devices from powerful CMEs, websites like Space Weather Live and NASA’s Space Weather Prediction Center can keep you up-to-date on the latest solar activity.
One of the reasons our Sun is currently undergoing regular solar activity cycles is that it’s currently in the main sequence phase of its life cycle which accounts for 80 to 90% of its active existence. In around 5 billion years’ time, however, it will enter its red giant phase, engulfing Earth in the process.
